The Demon King Saga
by Rose Mistress
Summary: Join Yami as he becomes king of the demons and goes through the challenges to keep that position with the help of his friends, family and Yugi. YYxY, Crossover with The Lion King
1. Circle of Life

Zypher: And here we are with another one of my random crossovers. This time it's Lion King because I'm sitting here on youtube, listening to Be Prepared more than once so I couldn't help myself. Hope you'll enjoy this story and before you ask, yes I'll be doing Lion King 2 and Lion King 1 1/2 once I get done with this, probably just make this entire story into a saga and add them all together. Hope you like!

Summary: In Africa, everything was ruled under one demon king and he just had a son, a heir to the demon pride. But when an accident happens, everything falls out of control and this prince will have to set everything straight and become the new king.

Disclaimer: Does it look like I could own Yugioh or Lion King? No? Then no sue cause I'll never own them or any of the Lion King songs either.

Warnings: Since this is yaoi, there will be MPreg. If you have a problem with this, go away and don't bother me.

Characters:

Simba - Yami

Nala - Yugi

Mufasa - Atemu

Sarabi - Heba

Scar - Pegasus

Timon - Jounouchi

Pumbaa - Kaiser

Zazu - Mahaado

Shenzi - Ruby or Topaz (you readers can choose who you want to be Shenzi since I'm stuck in the choice for this part and yes, I know Shenzi's a girl but since the only girls I use in any story (Anzu doesn't count) would be Diamond, Shizuka, Zella, Keara or Isis, I thought about these two since Diamond and Keara has a part and I can't really think of Isis, Zella or Shizuka playing Shenzi's part)

Banzai - Crimson

Ed - Toben

Rafiki - Keara

* * *

Demon King

Chapter 1

* * *

In the land of Africa, a race of demons lived in one giant pride. They were ruled under the eye of the demon king, Atemu. The demons respected him greatly and they were now all coming from all around to see the newest prince of their kingdom. Overhead, another demon by the name of Mahaado flew down and landed.

He bowed before Atemu and he nodded. Once they were all in front of the palace, they all looked back to see Keara, the land's resident shaman walking by and they all bowed before her. She walked over to Atemu who stood outside and she smiled as she gave him and small embrace which he returned before they looked back to see Atemu's husband, Heba, walk out with a small bundle in his arms.

Atemu and Keara walked over to him and Heba smiles up to Keara and she smiled back. She waved her staff and soon, a gold crown appeared in her hands and she placed the crown upon the child's head and he looked up to her with bright cerise eyes. She took the child from Heba's arms and walked back towards the crowd of waiting demons, Atemu and Heba following behind her. She raised the child up in the air and the demons bowed once more at seeing their future king.

The clouds parted above and a ray of sunlight shined down on them, the gods giving their blessing to Yami, the future king of the demons.

* * *

In a remote area, a mouse came scurrying out from a tiny hole, sniffing around for food. It stopped and sniffed out another's scent and before it could run off, it was grabbed by a silver haired demon. He smirked as he held the mouse by its tail. "Life not fair, is it? You see I...well...I would never be the demon king of Egypt. Not now, not ever." he spoke, playing with the mouse before grabbing it again. "And you will never see the light of day again." he said as he was ready to eat the mouse but another demon landed behind him.

"Now, Pegasus, didn't your mother tell you not to play with your food?" The demon spoke. Pegasus gave a quiet sigh, the mouse clenched in his hand. "What do you want, Mahaado?" he questioned, looking to him. "I'm here to tell you that King Atemu is on his way here." he said before turning away from him. "You best have a _good_ excuse for missing the ceremony today." he continued. The little mouse slipped form Pegasus' grip and ran off. "Oh now look? You made me lose my meager meal." he said, turning to him.

Mahaado only laughed and turned back to him. "Oh you'll be loosing _so_ much more when Atemu gets here."

Pegasus only chuckled. "I'm just _shaking_ with fear." he said, crouching down. Mahaado saw his look and backed away. "Oh no...Pegasus, don't look at me that way. Help!" he cried, trying to fly off by Pegasus pounced on him, pinning him down. Mahaado struggled to get free and gladly enough, for him, Atemu arrived. "Pegasus, let him go."

"Impeccable timing, my king." Mahaado whispered. Pegasus snorted and let him go and he stood back up, dusting his clothes free of dust. Pegasus smirked as he looked to Atemu, tail swaying lightly behind him. "If it isn't my dear brother coming to see me, the common folk of the kingdom." Pegasus said, sarcastically overjoyed. Atemu saw through the sarcasm and narrowed his eyes. "Heba and I didn't see you today at the presentation of Yami to the demon community." he said regally and with a hint of anger.

Pegasus faked his astonishment as he walked towards the stone wall of the cave where he stayed. "Oh my. That was today?" he spoke, scraping his claws along the wall and Mahaado winced at the sound. "It must've slipped my mind."

Mahaado rubbed his ears and looked to him. "Well, as slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother, you should have been first in line!" Mahaado growled. Pegasus only snorted again. "Well, I would've been first in line...until the little bundle of joy was born." he said and Atemu snarled, looking him dead in the eye. "That 'little bundle of joy' is my son...and your future king. Remember that, Pegasus." he growled and Pegasus walked off, waving his hand at him. "I'll practice my bowing to him then." Pegasus said with sarcasm again as he left.

"Don't turn you back to me." he hissed. Pegasus stopped and turned to him. "Oh no, dear brother. It is perhaps you who shouldn't turn your back to me." he said. Atemu roared as he went to stand before him, claws extended and teeth bared. "Is that a challenge, Pegasus?" Pegasus chuckled as he looked to him again.

"Now, now. Control that temper. I wouldn't _dream_ of challenging you. I would surely get killed easily with your strength." he said. "That gives him all the more reason to challenge you." Mahaado murmured. Pegasus took a glance at him. "Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion's share. But brute strength," he started, looking back to Atemu.

"I'm afraid I was at the shallow end of the gene pool." he finished before flying off. Mahaado walked over to Atemu and stood by his side. He let out a sigh as he looked to him. "There's one in every family, my pharaoh. Unfortunately, I dealt with two in mine..." he said and brushed some hair from his face.

"They always manage to ruin special family occasions."

Atemu shook his head in disappointment as they both headed back to the palace. "What will I do with him?" he questioned. "He would make a good stuffed trophy. Maybe even a nice throw rug." Mahaado suggested. "Mahaado!" Atemu chided, laughing softly. "And just think! If he's a rug and he gets dirty, you can take him out and _beat_ him!"

* * *

Out in a small cavern which doubled as a small home, a white sphinx was humming to herself as she took a bowl and started to make a small hand drawing on the wall. "Yami." she whispered and then added the ceremonial crown as a final feature and smiled. Keara walked to stand beside her and looked to the drawing before smiling as well.

"Hopefully everything will turn out well for you." Keara said before she left to head further into the cavern to work on some more spells, Diamond placing everything away and followed her. She was Keara's apprentice and had to learn everything that would help the future king.

* * *

A few months later, Yami, now a young child, ran into the throne room, bypassing a few of the family members that lived with them and ran up to the dais. "Dad! Dad! Come on, wake up! We gotta go!" he said. A random demon yelped lightly as he accidentally stepped on her tail and he whispered his apology as he finally reached the two thrones where his parents sat, asleep. Aqua, his half-brother and next king behind Yami if he was to die and not have any children to take his line, woke up and looked to him. Yami hopped up into his father's lap and pulled at his wing, saying 'Dad' repeatedly to try and wake him up.

Heba started to wake and opened his eyes sleepily. "Your son...is awake..." he whispered as he yawned. Atemu snorted as he started to wake up. "Before Ra rises into the heavens, he's your son." he said and Yami pouted. "No fair! You promised!" He said, pulling at his wing again but he lost his grip and slipped off his lap. Aqua snickered and watched as Yami ran back up and headbutted Atemu, making him give an 'oof' but he was fully awake now and so was Heba. "Alright, alright. I'm up." he said as he stood, watching as Yami ran off to head up to a balcony.

Helping Heba up, they both went to follow Yami to the balcony. When they were there, Heba let Aqua down and he ran over, tackling Yami and they both started to play fight. The two smiled as they watched them before Atemu walked forward as Heba headed back inside and they stopped and looked up to him. He stood at the railing and looked out to the rising sun and both Yami and Aqua went to stand beside him. "I'll tell you both this. Everything the light of Ra touches is our kingdom." Atemu spoke and Yami looked up to him.

"Really? So that means everything here is your kingdom?" he asked. "Yes and no. A king, or pharaoh's, reign rises and falls like the sun. One day, Ra will set when my time is done and it will rise again with you as the new king." Atemu said, looking down to him. "And when that time comes, everything will be mine to rule over?" Atemu nodded.

Aqua looked around and then spotted the shadowy place far to the north. "What about that shadowy place over there?" Atemu looked to what he was talking about. "That is beyond our borders. That is an unsafe place and you two must never go there." he told him.

Hearing this, Yami turned back to him. "But I thought a king can do whatever he wants?"

"There's much more to being a king than getting whatever you want." Atemu spoke before heading back down the stairs from the balcony. Yami and Aqua left the railing and ran off to follow him. "There's more?" Aqua asked and Atemu chuckled softly before they left out the palace to explore the Savannah.

"Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to respect each and every creature from the tiny ant to the humans that live in villages nearby." Atemu said.

"But don't we sometimes feast on the humans?" Yami questioned.

"Yes but listen. We die and we become part of the land. The humans use the land to grow crops for food and that connects us all into one great circle." Mahaado soon flew by and stood on top of a rock. "Hello, my pharaoh!" he spoke and Atemu turned to him. "Ah, good morning, Mahaado." he said.

"Just came with the morning report from the animals." Atemu nodded and gave him permission to go on. Mahaado started on with the report, continuing on without stopping. Yami's started to become bored and looked around before spotting a grasshopper and crouched low to the ground before pouncing but missed.

He caught Atemu's attention and he turned to him. "What are you up to?"

"Pouncing." he said with disappointment as he opened his hands to see nothing. Atemu laughed softly and walked over to him. "Let me show you how its done." he said. Mahaado continued on still, not knowing what was about to happen. "Mahaado, mind turning around please." Atemu spoke and Mahaado nodded as he turned, not pausing once. Atemu looked back to Yami. "Now, stay low to the ground. Use the grass like the shadows and conceal yourself." he whispered and Yami hung on to every word.

"Ok, stay low to the ground, using the ground like the shadows to hide." Yami repeated, tail flicking excitedly as he followed what Atemu told him. Mahaado realizes something was amiss and turned to Atemu. "May I ask what's going on, sire?"

"A pouncing lesson."

"Oh yes, pouncing." Everything clicked into place and he squawked indignantly waving his hand in defense. "Pouncing? Oh no sire, you can't be serious..." he started but Atemu only smiled and motioned to him to turn back around. He grumbled as he turned back around, tail flicking side to side. "This is so humiliating." he whispered.

"Try not to make a sound." Atemu whispered and Mahaado glanced back at him. "What are you telling him, Atemu?" He didn't get a response and looked back to see no one there. "Atemu? Yami? Aqua?" he questioned and yelped as he was tackled down by Yami. Atemu came out from his place with Aqua following behind him, laughing heartily. "Very good, Yami." he said as Yami left from Mahaado. A gopher emerged beside Mahaado.

"Sir!"

"Yes?" Mahaado asked, exasperated as he sat up.

"News from the underground!" he spoke and told him what was up while Atemu was speaking with Yami and Aqua. Mahaado gasped as he flew up and looked to him. "Sire, we have an emergency!" he interrupted. "Vampire demons! Near the palace grounds!" he said and Atemu snarled before he unfurled his wings and flew off. "Mahaado! Take Yami and Aqua home!" he said. "Aww, but can't I come?" Yami asked as he watched his father fly off. "No, son." he said curtly before he was out of sight.

"Man, I can't go anywhere." Yami said, kicking up dust lightly. "Young master, when you become king, you'll be able to chase those ravenous, nasty bloodsucking half-demons out of palace grounds from dawn until dusk." Mahaado spoke. "They were the reason we left our home in Egypt." he muttered to himself as he took hold of Yami and Aqua and flew of back to the palace.

Later on in the day, Pegasus was now pacing on a rock ledge. He growled and kicked away an old bone piece that was on the ledge before he turned and spotted Yami walking in.

"Hey, uncle Pegasus! Guess what?" he said happily and he sighed. "I despise guessing games." Pegasus spoke.

"I'm going to be the king one day!" Pegasus rolled his eyes, turning away from him. "Oh goody. I'm so happy to hear that." he said. Yami was so enthusiastic that he didn't care about Pegasus' expression. "Yeah! My dad just showed me and Aqua the kingdom today." he said and then grinned. "And soon I'll rule it all." Pegasus grunted. "Yes. Well...forgive me for not leaping with joy. Bad back, you know." Pegasus muttered as he moved to sit on a flat topped rock. Yami looked to him before walking over to his side.

"When I become king, what will that make you?"

"A monkey's uncle." he responded.

Yami laughed at his answer. "You're so weird." Again, Pegasus rolled his eyes. "You have no idea." he said before looking down to him. "So, your father showed you and Aqua the entire kingdom?" he asked and Yami nodded. "He did now? But I'm guessing he didn't show you two what's beyond the northern border now did he?" Yami looked down sadly and shook his head.

"No...he said Aqua and I can't go there." Yami spoke. "And he's absolutely right. It is even more dangerous than the Sahara desert back in Egypt. Only the bravest demons would wander there." Yami looked back up, peeved that Pegasus wouldn't think of him as brave.

"Well, I'm very brave! What's out th-" he said but Pegasus interrupted him. "No, Yami. I'm sorry but I just cannot tell you."

"Why not?"

"No need to put my favorite nephews into danger. I'm only looking out for yours and Aqua's well-being." he said as he stood and rubbed at his head lightly. Yami snorts sarcastically. "We're your only nephews." Yami said. "All the more reason to be protective...an elephant graveyard is no place for young princes..." He faked his surprise at telling him about the graveyard. "Oh dear. I shouldn't have said that." Yami caught on to most of what he said and looked to him.

"An elephant what?"

Pegasus sighs in fake dismay. "Oh well. You probably would've found out someway. You are a _very_ clever boy, am I right?" Pegasus said but didn't give Yami a chance to respond. "But just do me this one little favor and stay away from that dreadful place." Yami nodded and left his side. "No problem." he said. "That's a good boy. Now go on and have some fun. This will be our little secret." Pegasus whispered and Yami nodded again as he ran off but Pegasus knew the little demon would go and explore there anywhere.

He smirked as he unfurled his wings and flew off, developing a plan in mind.

* * *

Zypher: And that's it for this chapter! Now I'm starting to doubt no one would read, much less review, this but oh well, it all depends on what you think. If I hear just one things about the parings being yaoi though, the story's going down the drain because I'm not in the mood to read anyone's flames about it. But other than that, hoped you enjoyed and I'll see you soon. As for songs, I'll see about fitting them in without the chapters sounding like it's in script-form but I dodged Circle of Life since I didn't fit it in like it did with the scenes in the movie.


	2. I Just Can't Wait to Be King

Zypher: And here's the next chapter to The Demon King Saga. Thanks for enjoying the first chapter and here's the next for you.

* * *

The Demon King

Chapter 2

* * *

Yami made his way back to the palace, everyone now awake and watching as he eagerly ran through the courtyard towards where Sarafina and Heba rested. Yugi was there and was being groomed by his mother. "Hey, Yugi." he said as he stopped in front of him. "Hi Yami." he said back, looking to him as his mother started to groom his wings. "Come on. I just learned about this great place and I want to take you there." Yami said. "Can you see I'm in the middle of grooming." Yugi whispered through clenched teeth.

"And speaking of which, it's time for yours." Heba said and Yami squeaked, trying to run off but Heba's tail came to rest around his waist and pulling him up towards his arms. Once he got a hold of him, he started to lick at his hair. "Hey!...Father, you're messing up my hair!" Yami whined as he tried to escape and Heba raised his head with a smile. Yami pouted and jumped out of his arms and fixed his hair again. "Ok, I'm groomed. Can we go now?" he asked and Yugi looked back to him. "And exactly where are we going? Better not be anywhere dumb or dull." he said.

"No, it's not dumb or dull. It's really cool."

Heba smiled as he looked down to him. "Oh really? And where is this "really cool" place, son?" Yami knew he couldn't say where they were really going so he thought up so something quickly. "Oh...um...it's around the duelist field." He spoke and Yugi sighed in disappointment.

"The duelist field? There's nothing special there." Yugi complained as his mother finished his grooming and he jumped from her arms and walked over to him. "I'll show you what I mean when we get there." Yami whispered and Yugi nodded, seeing that the duelist field wasn't where they were truly going. He looked back to Sarafina. "Mom, can I go with Yami?" he asked.

"Hmm," She looked over to Heba. "What do you think, Heba?"

"Well..." he started and both Yami and Yugi turned to him. "Pleaseeee?" They said at the same time, smiling brightly. He smiled and nodded. "Alright."

"Yeah!"

"Alright!"

"...As long as Mahaado goes with you two." he finished and they groaned. "Oh man, not Mahaado." Yami said dejectedly. They both knew that Heba won't take no for an answer and they both went to look for Mahaado before they left for the duelist field, a place near the water hole where all demons and sometimes humans goes to duel in the ancient game of duel monsters.

* * *

Yami and Yugi, with the extra addition started making their way towards the field. "Step lively you two. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can head home." Mahaado said as he walked in front of them. Yugi looked over to Yami as they walked. "So, where were we really suppose to be heading?" he whispered and Yami turned to him.

"An elephant graveyard." Yami whispered back and Yugi was surprised.

"Wow!" he said and Yami shushed him.

"You have to be quiet remember." he said, motioning to Mahaado.

"Oh yeah. That right. So how are we going to ditch him? He's very keen at keeping track of people and he won't take his eyes away from us." Yugi spoke. Mahaado looked back to them, hearing them whisper to each other and smiled as he turned to look at them. "Well well. Look at this. Love just blossoming here in the savannah. Your parents would be thrilled with this." He said as he turned to walk off. "Especially with you two being betrothed and all."

"Be-what?" Yami questioned, confused. "Betrothed. Intended. Affianced." Mahaado listed but they still didn't know what he meant. "Mind telling us in English there, Mahaado." Yugi quipped. "Meaning you two are going to be married!" he said and they gagged. "I can't marry him. He's my friend." Yami said, looking at Yugi who turned to look at him as well. "Yeah, that's just too weird." Yugi spoke.

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble but that how it shall be. It's tradition..." Yami grins a little a mimic Mahaado's last few words.

"...going back many generations of our kind." he finished. "Well, when I'm king, that will be the first thing to go." Yami said smugly and Mahaado only sighed. "Not as long as I'm around you won't." He said, turning back to him.

Yami snorted as he looked to him. "In that case, you're fired."

Mahaado walked over to him, staring him straight in his cerise eyes. "Only the king can do that." He said, poking Yami in the chest lightly. "Well, he _is_ the future king." Yugi piped up. "Yeah. So you have to do what _I_ tell you anyway." Yami said, poking Mahaado right back. He huffed as he looked down at him still. "Not yet I don't. And with the attitude you have as of now, you're shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king."

"Heh, not the way I see it." Yami said as he pounced towards him and start to back him up.

"I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware!" He pounced at him and made Mahaado fall over a fallen tree. He got back up and glanced at him.

"Well, I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair!" He said, plucking a strand of hair from his head and making him flinch before flying off. Yami jumped up into a nearby tree and smirked as he climbed up towards Mahaado.

"I'm gonna be the main event like no king was before! I'm brushing up on looking down, I'm working on my ROAR!" Mahaado, who was standing there, fell back when Yami roared at him, making him fall into a mud puddle. He growled as he stood and took the nearest thing beside him and started to wipe his face. "Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing." he said and heard a snort. He looked up and gulped when he saw an elephant standing there and with a hard hit, the elephant flung him over a patch of water like a skipping stone.

Yami and Yugi followed behind him, skidding along the water happily. "Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"

Mahaado grumbled as he stood up, wringing water from his clothing. "You've rather a long way to go, young master, if you think..." He starts but Yami cuts him off.

"No one saying do this!" Yugi make a funny gesture behind Mahaado's back.

"Now when I said that, I-" He tried to say but Yugi cut him off again.

"No one saying be there." As he spoke, Yami makes a funny face behind his back this time.

"What I meant was..." He tried again but again, he was cut off.

"No one saying stop that." Yugi makes another face behind Mahaado's back.

"Look, what you don't realize..."

"No one saying see here!" They both said with a gleeful smile.

"Now see here!" He said angrily as he caught Yugi making another face before they both ran off.

"Free to run around all day." Yami said, grinning as they both can running by, riding on two lean dragons (can't really seeing them riding on ostriches at this part).

"Well, that's definitely out..." He spoke.

"Free to do it all my way!" Mahaado snorted and he unfurled his wings and followed behind them. "I think it's time that you and I arranged a heart to heart." he started, not seeing who was in front of him until he crashed into the back of a rhino. Yugi and Yami stopped beside him. "Kings don't need advice from little advisors for a start." Yami spoke as they ran off again just as Mahaado fell back and he flew back up to land on a log, keeping his balance well.

"If this is where the monarchy is headed, count me out! Out of service, out of Africa! I wouldn't hang about... Aagh!" Said log he was on tipped over a waterfall and he growled again as he flew back up to follow the children again. "This child is getting wildly out of wing!"

"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!" Yami spoke, he and Yugi trot through a line of zebras and when Mahaado came through, looking for them, they turned their backs to him and he quickly flew out. They were now running on all fours through a moving herd of elephants, dodging the feet of the elephants as they hopped through. From above, Mahaado looked down them before descending and landed on the ground once more, still looking. Not far, Yami grinned as he sat on the head of a giraffe.

"Everybody look left!" he said and a herd of animals came running to the left, making Mahaado squawk as he was trampled.

"Everybody look right!" Again, the animals came by and trampled him again. He got back up, a little dazed. Yami was gracefully jumping up a ladder of giraffe heads. "Everywhere you look I'm standing in the spotlight!" he said, sliding down the giraffe's neck and standing in a theatrical pose.

"Not yet!" Mahaado growled as he pushed himself through a set of animals but got pushed back. Yami whispered something into a nearby hippo's ear and he repeated the message to a giraffe who told a pair of demons sitting in a tree nearby.

"Let every creature go for broke and sing! Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing! It's gonna be King Yami's finest fling!" The animals chorused as Yugi and Yami sat on top of the giant pyramid the animals made. The demons reached down and grabbed Mahaado as he was dusting his clothes off again and they dragged him back into the tree and he struggled to get free.

"Oh I just can't wait to be king! Oh I just can't wait to be king! Oh I just can't waaaaaait ... to be king!" Yami and the animals chorused before the pyramid started to topple, animals falling upon one another and Mahaado gulped, somehow standing at the bottom and soon, they all collapsed on him and all the animals ran off, leaving a rhino sitting on him.

He snorted as he struggled to get free. "Excuse me, ma'am? I hate to be rude but can you please...get off me!" he grounded out as he got his upper body free and then looked around, not seeing Yami or Yugi.

"Yami? Yugi?" He called and knew he was going to be in trouble if he didn't find them.

* * *

Yami and Yugi laughed as they finally made their way towards the elephant graveyard. "I can't believed that worked!" Yami said happily. "Yeah! We actually lost him!" Yugi cheered, looking to him. Yami smirked proudly, raising his head regally. "Yes, I am a genius." he said arrogantly and Yugi pouted. "Yeah, with my help, _genius_." Yugi stated.

"You're right but _I_ pulled it off." Yami said.

"With me!"

"Oh yeah?" Yami said and pounced on Yugi. They got into a tussle but Yugi grinned as he pinned him down. "Pinned ya." he said happily and Yami pouted. "Hey! Get off!" he said, pushing him off and Yugi grinned more as he turned away. Yami looked to him before pouncing at him again, making them both roll down a hill and Yugi once again pinned him.

"Pinned ya again." he said smugly. A geyser nearby let out a whoosh and they looked up, realizing they were finally at the graveyard. "Hey, we're here." Yami said in awe as they climbed up the other slope and looked down to the graveyard filled with skeletons of elephants, the skull of a giant bull elephant in the distance.

"Whoa!" they both said in even more awe as they looked around. "This is creepy." Yugi said, looking to Yami. He nodded with a grin as they left the slope and started making their way towards the skull. "We could get in big trouble." Yugi spoke again but he didn't sound at all concerned about it.

"I know, huh." Yami said, he too not concerned about the trouble they could get in. They finally made it up towards the skull and examined it. "I wonder if its brains are still in it?" Yugi wondered and Yami smirked as he started making his way closer. "Only one way to find out...let's check it out." he said and Yugi started to follow him but Mahaado soon landed in front of them, arms crossed.

"They only _checking out_ you two are doing is right out of here." he said with finality and they groaned. "You two should know we're far out the boundaries of the palace and its surrounding areas." he said. "Oh look, Magic Man is scared." Yami said with a laugh. "That's Mr. Magic Man to you, scaly and right now, we're in real danger." Mahaado said and Yami only shrugged his shoulders as he walked closer to the skull. "Danger? Hah! I laugh in the face of danger." he said and gave a mocking laugh but then he heard more laughing and jumped back to where Mahaado and Yugi stood to see three forms crawling out from the skull.

One was a black sphinx, leathery wings and its clothing having small rips and tears in it while large fangs peeked out from its upper lip. The other two had the same features only one was a ruby-red and the other a dark golden color. "Well well well, Crimson. What do we have here?" The ruby-red sphinx said to the black sphinx. "Hmm, I don't know, Ruby." He looks to the last sphinx in the group. "What do you think, Toben?" he questioned and he only gave a sadistic laugh as he looked down to them.

The three of them circled around them. "Yeah, that's exactly what I was think. A trio of trespassers!" Crimson said. "Yes and by accident I'll tell you. Simple misdirection but we will get going and soon be out of your hair." Mahaado spoke, really wishing he had his staff right now to ward them off. Ruby took a glance at him and realized something. "Whoa, whoa, wait wait wait... I think I know you. You're Atemu's right hand man, aren't you." he said and Mahaado huffed. He didn't regard him any longer and looked to Yami.

"And you must be...?" he spoke.

"The future king." Yami said.

"Do you know what we do to kings who step out the boundaries of their kingdom?" Ruby spoke, still watching them. Yami only snorted. "You can't do a thing to me." he said. "Actually, Yami, they can. We are on their land after all." Mahaado stated. Yami looked to him, fear showing in his yes. "But Mahaado, you told me before that vampire demons like them were nothing but ravenous, nasty bloodsucking half-demons." Yami said and Mahaado flinched. "Ix-nay on the oopid-stay..." he whispered but Crimson heard him and growled.

"Hey, who are you callin' oopid-stay?!" he hissed. Mahaado gulped and spoke hurriedly as he led Yami and Yugi away. "Oh my, just look at the time. We must be heading back now!" he said but Ruby stood in front of them. "What's the rush? We would _love _to have _you_ for dinner." he purred. "Yeah! We can have whatever "scaling" around our turf." Crimson said, getting some laughs.

"Oh wait, wait, wait. I got one. Make mine a _kids'_ meal!" Ruby spoke and peals of uncontrollable laughter came from the three of them. Mahaado, Yugi and Yami used this time to run off and Toben saw them running off. He turned back to Ruby and Crimson and started blathering and jabbering, pointing behind him. Crimson listened to him and then turned to Ruby. "Hey, did we order this meal to go?"

Ruby looked back to him. "No. Why?"

"'Cause there it goes!" he said as he pointed to them running off in the distance. "Don't let them get away!" Ruby said as they ran after them. Mahaado was flying through the air, watching Yami and Yugi but yelped as he was grabbed by his tail and pulled back. Yami and Yugi finally stopped after a while and looked behind. "Did we lose them?" Yugi asked. "I'm sure we did...hey, where's Mahaado?" he questioned, looking around.

The three vampire demons stood in front of a steam vent, holding Mahaado in their grip. "The little magician boy hippity-hops all the way to the magician's cauldron!" Ruby said as they stuffed him into the vent. "No no no! Not the magician's cauldron's!" he said frantically and shouted as he was shot up into the air from the pent-up steam. Yami and Yugi arrived there and looked down to them. "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size."

Ruby glanced at him with a smirk. "Oh really? Like...you?"

"Uh oh." He and Yugi ran off once more as they three vampires demons chased after them. They slipped in front of them and appeared in the rising steam of an active vent. "BOO!" They said, laughing and surprising the two. They ran off in another direction with the vampire demons still following them and Yami jumped up a set of skulls, Yugi following behind him and Crimson growled as he tried to take a bite out of them but missed. They tumbled down the spine of the skull they climbed and landed on a hillside covered with bones.

Yami quickly made his way up but heard Yugi cry out. "Yami! Help me!" he cried, slipping farther down and Yami ran down, determined to help him. Ruby reached him but before he could take Yugi, Yami growled as he clawed the left side of his face, drawing blood, and helped Yugi while he was preoccupied. Ruby snarled in anger and they continued their pursuit.

"Man, this is where I wish I could fly but my wings are still developing!" Yami said as they ran into a cave and found themselves cornered. Ruby, Toben and Crimson walked in, grinning. "Well look here, a meal fit for a _king_." Ruby said with a laugh. "Yeah. Here little demon boys." Crimson taunted as they came closer.

Yami stood in front of Yugi and tried to roar, only getting a medium sounding yowl. Ruby laughed as looked to him. "That was all you can do? Do it again...go on." he taunted and Yami tried again but it was a full grown dragon's roar.

The three vampire demons along with Yami and Yugi looked up to see Atemu lunging from above, frightening them. He snarled as he caught them easily before they could run, Mahaado coming to land beside Yugi and Yami during the short tussle. "Ok! Ok! I give! I give!" Ruby cried. Crimson winced in pain. "_**Silence!**_" he roared and they flinched again. "Ok, we're going to shut up right now." Crimson said in fear. "Yeah, just calm down. We're really sorry for all this." Ruby added. "If you ever come near my son again..." he started and they looked shocked.

"Oh this...he's **_your_** son!?" Ruby started and took a glance at Crimson. "Did you know that?"

He shook his head wildly. "Of course not! Did you?"

"No! Not at all!"

"No." They both turned to look at Toben.

"Toben?" They questioned and he grinned as he stupidly nods yes, making Atemu roar in anger again. "Uh...toodles!" Crimson squeaked as the three of them slipped away from his grip and ran off. Mahaado walked over and gave a nod, looking to Atemu but flinched under his angry gaze. Yami slowly walked over to him.

"Dad...I..." he started but Atemu raised a hand for silence. "You deliberately disobeyed me, Yami. I told you to not come here and you do so anyway." he said sternly. "I'm...I'm sorry." he spoke up but he only told them that they were heading home and he walked off. Yami, Yugi and Mahaado followed behind them and Yugi turned to look over to Yami.

"I thought you were very brave. Especially for saving me." he whispered.

"Thanks, Yugi." Yami whispered back.

Not far away from them, upon a nearby cliff, Pegasus watched the scene before flying off in silence.

* * *

Zypher: And that's all for the second chapter. Glad you all are liking this story and will be waiting for the next chapter. As for Ruby playing Shenzi, I only got one person who chose that part and that was before I had it posted up but if you want her to be played by Topaz instead, tell me in your reviews and I'll change it. But for now, hoped you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you again later.

Note 1: Yes, Heba was called father. I was thinking about sticking with mom but then I gave up with it before I pop a blood vessel.

Note 2: Again, yes, I know Mahaado is ooc but you all knew that was coming with him being Zazu so don't go saying anything about it cause I already knew that when I gave him the part.


	3. Be Prepared

Zypher: Yes, it's been a long wait but as you can see, I've been working so much with the Yami no Game sequel. But now I'm gonna take a break from that and give you all another chapter to The Demon King Saga. Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter and I hope you'll enjoy this one.

* * *

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 3

* * *

After the mishap at the elephant graveyard, the four demons were making their way back home. Yugi and Yami stayed quiet along the way and Atemu was deathly silent. It was only a little while longer that he spoke. "Mahaado?" he called, a stern tone still in his voice. "Yes, sire?" he asked.

"Take Yugi home. I've got to teach my son a lesson." Hearing this, Yami shrunk into the shadows of the high grass, Yugi looking down to him sadly. Mahaado nodded and walked over to where they were. "Come on, Yugi. Yami..." He placed his hands on the younger's shoulders. "Good luck." He patted his shoulders for reassurance before picking up the other and flew off.

Once they were gone, Atemu turned to look behind him. "Yami!" he called, voice still stern. Yami flinched when he heard his father's voice before walking forward, head bowed down low. As he walked, he found a footprint of Atemu's. Since he was still angry, some of his demon form still showed, leaving the claw print in the ground.

He shifted a bit and placed his own claw in the print, seeing now that Atemu is not only capable of dealing punishment but much, much more. _'And not only that but this will be a big role for me to fill in when I become king.'_ he thought before he continue his way to his father and stood in front of him.

Atemu was silent before turning to Yami fully. "Yami, I'm very disappointed in you." he said. Yami sighed and lowered his head again. "I know." he whispered. "You could've been killed. You deliberately disobeyed me and what worse is that you put Yugi in danger!" Yami had some tears gathering in his eyes, his head still bowed bow. "I-I was just trying to be brave like you." Yami whispered, voice cracking a bit.

"Yami, I'm only brave when I need to be. Being brave doesn't mean you have to go looking for trouble." Atemu said. "But you're not scared of anything." Yami countered.

"I was today."

Yami looked to him disbelievingly. "You were?" he asked.

Atemu nodded. "Yes." He walked over to Yami's side and knelt down to him. "I thought I would've lost you." Yami nodded, smiling lightly. I guess even kings can get scared." Atemu gave a hum in agreement. "But you know what?" Atemu looked to him curiously. "What?"

"I think those vampire demons were even scareder." Yami said with a laugh and Atemu laughed as well. "You're right cause no one messes with your dad. Come here!" Yami squeaked as he was grabbed and Atemu playfully gave him a noogie. He protested and tried to escape and Atemu let him go before Yami leaped at him, tackling him down and they got into a playful tussle before Atemu slipped away from him and ran off. "Hey! Come back here!" he exclaimed as he followed and soon caught up with him, pouncing onto his back and knocking him down, both laughing.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Yami?"

"We're pals right?"

"Of course."

"And we'll always be together." Atemu was silent at this and sat up, bringing Yami to sit in front of him. "Let me tell you something my father once told me." He looked up to the sky and Yami followed his gaze. "Look at the stars. The great kings of the past looks down on us from those stars." he spoke. "Really?" Yami questioned in awe and Atemu nodded. "Yes...and remember, those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I."

* * *

Somewhere far away from the kingdom, a cave sat and in said cave was where the three vampire demons lived. A growl was heard from within. "Man, that lousy Atemu! I won't be able to sit for a week!" Crimson hissed as he looked to his backside, scratches from Atemu's claws a painful reminder of what happened.

Toben sat there, snickering. "It's not funny, Toben." But he only burst out laughing, trying to cover his mouth to muffle the laughter. "Shut up!" He continues to laugh and Crimson growled before attacking him, both of them fighting each other and Ruby, who was pacing earlier turned to them.

"Will you two knock it off!" he yelled and they both stopped, Crimson glaring at Toben who was chewing on his leg, thinking the fight was still going on. "Well, he started it!" Crimson said. "Look at you guys? No wonder why we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain." Crimson snorted, a strand of saliva hanging from his mouth. "Man I hate dangling." he spoke before spitting off to the side. Ruby rolled his eyes and jumped down from the rock he was sitting on. "You know, if it wasn't for those demons, we'll be ruling this place."

Crimson nodded in agreement. "Man, I hate demons."

"So pushy." Ruby spoke.

"And scaly." Crimson added.

"And stinky."

"And man are they..."

"Uuuuugly!" They both said and started to laugh at their joke. Pegasus looked down to them as he walked on a protruding rock high above them. "Oh. Surely we demons aren't all that bad." he said and they looked up to him in surprise before sighing. "Oh, Pegasus. It's just you." Crimson said, relieved from his surprise.

"Yeah, we were afraid it was someone important." Ruby added. "Yeah, like Atemu." Ruby agreed with him. "I see." Pegasus said scathingly. "Now that's power." Crimson spoke. Ruby snorted. "Tell me about it. I just hear that name and I shudder." Ruby said and Crimson grinned. "Atemu." Ruby shivered. "Ooh...do it again." he teased.

"Atemu."

"Ooooh!"

"Atemu! Atemu! Atemu!" They started to laugh hysterically, rolling over the stone floor. "...Oooh! It tingles me." he whispered, still laughing. Pegasus placed a hand over his eyes. "I'm surrounded by idiots." he said and Crimson looked up to him. "Oh nooo. Not you, Pegasus. I mean, you're one of us. I mean you're our pal." Crimson said. "Charmed." he said sarcastically, sitting down on the rock and crossing his legs. "Ohh, I like that. He may not be king but he's still so proper." Ruby said smugly. Crimson nodded before looking back up to him.

"Hey, hey. Did ya bring anything for us to eat, Pegasus? Hmm? Did-ya-did-ya-did-ya?" Crimson near pleaded, watching him. He looked down to him. "Hmm, I'm not sure if your deserve this." he spoke, pulling out a dead human. "I practically gift wrapped those two for you and you couldn't even get rid of two little demons." he said, taunting them with their presumed meal before dropping the person to them and they started to eat. Ruby tore a piece of flesh off before looking back up to Pegasus. "Well, it wasn't like they were alone, Pegasus."

Crimson nodded, ripping off a piece and chewing it. "Yeah. What are we supposed to do?" He swallowed the chunk he ate. "Kill Atemu?" They continued to eat before Pegasus gave an answer.

"Precisely." The three demons looked up to him as he stood before jumping down and landed in front of them. Smoke rose up from from a vent nearby and he walked through, pacing around Toben who was chewing on the bone of an arm. "I know that your powers of retention are as wet as a warthog's backside. But thick as you are, pay attention!" Slaps the bone from Toben and he sits up straight in attention.

"My words are a matter of pride. It's clear from your vacant expressions," Pegasus waves a hand in front of Toben's face but he doesn't follow it. Crimson and Ruby started laughing from a nearby rock. "the lights are not all on upstairs. But we're talking kings and successions. Even _you_ can't be caught unawares!"

He leapt up at them, causing them to yelp and fall back into two geysers. They geysers started to shake before Crimson went up into the air, Ruby following behind him, both falling to the floor not far away. "So prepare for a chance of a lifetime. Be prepared for sensational news. A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer."

As he spoke, he tiptoed along the ground and Ruby poked his head out from an opening. "And where do we feature?" He turned back to him and took hold of his cheek. "Just listen to teacher." He let go of him before walking off and Ruby rubbed his cheek, snorting.

"I know it sounds sordid, but you'll be rewarded when at last I am given my dues. And injustice deliciously squared," Jumps up to where Toben now sat, still chewing on the bone and without him noticing, kicked him off and with a yelp, he fell into a pile of bones where Crimson and Ruby were. "Be prepared!"

The three emerged from the pile, wearing three different horned skull over their heads. "Yeah, Be prepared. Yeah-heh... we'll be prepared, heh...For what?" Crimson looked up to Pegasus for an answer. "For the death of the king."

He poked his head over the edge where Pegasus stood. "What...is he sick?" He yelped again as Pegasus' tail wraps around his neck and pulls him up to his face. "No you idiot, we're going to kill him. Yami and Aqua too." He drops him back to the floor and he landed on the floor between Ruby and Toben. "Hey, great idea! Who needs a king?" He started trotting around Crimson in a dance, Toben following along behind him. "No king! No king! la-la-la-la-laa-laa!" He, along with Crimson, sing-songed jokingly.

"Fools! There will be a king!" Pegasus yelled.

"Hey but you said..." Crimson stated and Pegasus cut him off. "_I_ will be king! Stick with me and you'll never go hungry again!" He said with a toothy grin. Both Crimson and Ruby smiled. "Yeah! All right! Long live the king!" Soon, more vampire demons, them looking more human-like appeared from the shadows, grins on their faces. "Long live the king! Long live the king!" They chorused. Smoke rose up again before the vampire demons started marching down the cavern, Pegasus standing above them all from a ledge.

"It's great that we'll soon be connected! With a king who'll be all-time adored!"

"Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected to take certain duties on board." Pegasus spoke, motioning a slice across his neck. "The future is littered with prizes. And though I'm the main addressee. The point that I must emphasize is," He jumps down again, singling out a hapless vampire demon and backs him up, said vampire demon unaware that the ground was cracking from beneath him. _"You won't get a sniff without **me**!"_ The crack underneath him grew larger, causing the vampire demon to fall into the fiery crevice.

As Pegasus walks through the horde of vampire demons, they started to join in, dancing with glee and jumping upon protruding rocks. "So prepare for the coup of the century. Be prepared for the murkiest scam. Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning. Decades of denial. Is simply why I'll...be king undisputed. Respected, saluted and seen for the wonder I am. Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared. Be prepared!" Crimson, Ruby and even Toben grin as they spoke out. "Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared-"

"Be prepared!"

Pegasus and the vampire demons laughed evilly as their soon to be plan will set in motion.

* * *

The next day, Pegasus called for Yami and Aqua and they followed him down to a canyon, Pegasus leading them to sit upon a rock that was under a small tree. "Now you two just stay here. Your father has a wonderful surprise for you." he said. "Oooh...What is it? Come on, Uncle Pegasus, tell us." Yami asked eagerly. "Now, you should know if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." he spoke as he started to walk off. "If you tell us, we'll still act surprised." Aqua added, also eager to know of the surprise.

Pegasus chuckled to himself. "You two are such naughty boys. Just wait here and your father will come." He said, stopping to look back to them before walking off again. Aqua jumped off from the rock in attempts to follow him. "Please, Uncle Pegasus?" he pleaded and Pegasus turned back, shooing him back onto the rock with Yami. "No-no. This is just for you two and daddy. You know, like a sort of father-son thing...yeah, like that." Yami pouted at his dismissive attitude before shrugging. "Fine, we'll stay."

"Good. I'll go and get him. And you best not follow since I know you don't want to end up in another mess like you did with the vampire demons, Yami." Yami flinched when he heard that. "You know about that?" he questioned meekly. "Yami, just about everyone knows that." Yami's ears drooped. "Really?" Pegasus nodded. "Oh yes. Lucky for you, Daddy was there to save you." he spoke before placing an arm around his shoulder. "And just between you and me. Why don't you work on that roar of yours a little." He pulled away and Yami nodded.

"Hey, Uncle Pegasus, will we like this surprise?" he asked and Pegasus nodded as he turned away, a grin on his face. "Oh, Yami, it's to _die_ for." he spoke before he left. Not far away from them on the high ledge of the gorge where a plain filled with wildebeest. Not far away from the herd was Crimson, Toben and Ruby.

Crimson's stomach growled and Ruby glared at him. "Shut up, you idiot!" he hissed. "Does it look like I can help it?" he growled before jumping up. "I just gotta have a wildebeest!" He said and was about to run off towards the herd when he was jerked back. "Stay put." Ruby snarled.

"Oh come one? Can I at least pick off one of the sick ones?" he whined, looking through the herd again. "We have to wait for Pegasus' signal so sit your butt down and wait for it." Ruby growled before he looked and saw Pegasus landing in a rock in view of them. "There he is...let's go." He said with a smirk before they slunk off towards the still grazing herd.

* * *

Back down inside the gorge, Yami and Aqua were still sitting on the rock, now becoming bored. "Practice my roar, puh!" he grumbled and saw a lizard walk by. He roared at it and it didn't even flinch. He tried again and still no reaction from the lizard. He took a deep breath and let out a loud roar, making the lizard skitter off.

"Good one." Aqua congratulated and Yami smirked, puffing out his chest before he looked around, hearing a low rumble. Aqua also heard it and looked down to the ground, seeing pebbles jumping. "This doesn't sound good, Yami." Aqua whispered. They both look up towards the end of the gorge where the herd of wildebeest were seen stampeding over the lip of the gorge.

They gasped in horror before running off ahead of the herd. "Perfect! We get ourselves into this and all we can do is run! Why can't we fly like father?!" Aqua cried as they continued to run. Back on the plains with the charging herd was the three vampire demons, nipping at the heels of the scared wildebeest to drive them off the edge.

* * *

Not far from the gorge, Atemu and Mahaado were walking along the way when Mahaado saw the wildebeest. "Oh look, the herd is on the move." he spoke. "Odd...they shouldn't be moving now." Atemu spoke before they saw Pegasus fly towards them and landed, out of breath. "Atemu...stampede...in the gorge. Yami and Aqua are down there!" he said breathlessly. Atemu gasped. "Yami and Aqua?!"

Back at the gorge, Yami and Aqua quickly climbed up a dead tree and clung onto it, watching as the stampede ran below. Back with Atemu and Pegasus, they were in full demon form, running across the savannah and towards the gorge. Mahaado flew past them from above and reached the gorge, looking down to try and spot Yami and Aqua.

He couldn't spot them still just as Atemu and Pegasus came to the gorge and Atemu didn't waste no time running down and joining the path of the herd. A wildebeest hit the tree, making Aqua cry out in fear. "Dad! Dad help us!" Yami called when he saw the black scales of Atemu and he ran towards them.

Mahaado flew down to Pegasus' side and looked about frantically. "Oh dear, this is awful! What will we do? What will we do?! Oh! I know! I call for help! That's what I'll do." he was about to fly off again when Pegasus slammed his tail into him, making him hit the wall and fall unconscious.

He snickered before turning back to the stampede. Atemu was still running through the herd when he came across the tree and turned back, making his way back but roared when he was hit by a passing wildebeest.

He crawled through the heard, snarling as the wildebeests' hooves tore up his wings. Another hit the tree, causing it to break apart. Yami and Aqua cried out as they were up in the air, ready to hit the ground and be trampled if Atemu didn't leap up to catch them on his back.

They held on tight as he ran through the herd, reaching and rock ledge and climbed up, letting them slip off his back but he roared again as he was tackled by an oncoming wildebeest and Yami gasped as he stood, looking through the stampeding herd frantically.

He saw Atemu leap up once more, digging his claws into a nearby ledge and started climbing up towards where Pegasus was standing, watching with a dark look. Yami smiled and nudged Aqua before they started to run up the slope to meet up with him.

As Atemu was getting closer, Pegasus glared down to him. "Oh brother, how the mighty saves all but himself." he spoke. He snarled angrily. "What do you mean by that?" he hissed as he continued on his way up and was about climb onto the ledge when he roared in pain, Pegasus' claws digging into his.

Pegasus grinned as he lowered his head down to Atemu. "As they say, _long_ live the king." he whispered before pulling Atemu's claws from the wall and tossing him down towards the still stampeding herd.

Because of his wings being in tatters and nothing to latch on, he could only fall, eyes widened in horror as he hit the ground in the center of the rampaging herd. "Nooooooo!" Yami cried as he saw him fall but didn't see Pegasus leaving from the ledge. Once the herd finally came past, Yami and Aqua jumped down to the canyon floor, looking around for Atemu.

"Dad!" he called, looking around. He coughed from the dust that gathered before they heard something. Yami looked towards where he heard the sound. "Dad?" he whispered softly and only saw a wildebeest run by.

It curved around the fallen tree and they spotted the black scales of Atemu there. They ran over quickly and gasped at seeing his condition. He was bloodied, scuffs and gashes from the wildebeests' hooves leaving the bloody spots on the once obsidian scales, wings still in tatters and eyes closed. Yami looked to his father hopefully, hoping the older will get up.

Aqua walked past him and gently nudge him. "Dad? Dad, please get up." He nudged his head lightly but his head only lolled back. He pulled at his ear lightly, trying to get a reaction from the prone form. "Come on, dad, get up. We have to go home." he whispered but again, there was no response.

He backed away, scared and Yami wrapped his arms around him to comfort him before looking around. "Help! Somebody! Anybody!" Tears gathered in his eyes. "...help..." Yami looked back to their father and pulled Aqua over and they both curled up to his side, wrapping one of his tattered wings around them both. It was silent for the moment until Pegasus, now reverting back to his regular form, walked out from the dust.

"What have you two done?" he whispered sadly as if he saw the entire thing and wasn't the cause of it. Yami and Aqua jumped back from the dead body, tears still in their eyes. "There were wildebeests...and he tried to save us...I didn't mean for this to happen! It was all an accident!" Yami cried.

Pegasus cooed softly as he wrapped his arms around the two distraught demon children. "Of course. No one ever means for these things to happen. But the king is dead." He looked down to the two with mock regret. "And he would still be alive if it wasn't for you two." Pegasus gasped lightly as another thought _occurred_ to him.

"And what will dear Heba think?" Yami gasped when he imaging the sad yet angry look on Heba's face when he learned of what happened. Aqua wiped his eyes before looking back up to Pegasus. "What...what should we do?" he whimpered.

"Run away, Yami and Aqua...run away and never return." he spoke softly and still brokenhearted for what they caused, they ran from Pegasus' arms and blindly into the depths of the canyon. From behind Pegasus, Crimson, Ruby and Toben appeared. When he heard them come, he smirked.

"Kill them."

They bolted off behind the two demons while Pegasus stood there motionlessly, smirk still on his face. They chased them down to end of the canyon and they stopped seeing that another slope blocked their way. The three vampire demons came, growling with hunger. Thinking quickly, Yami climbed up through the rocky slope, Aqua following behind him.

Crimson clawed the rock behind them, growling. They ran through until they came up to the edge, a patch of briers below a steep hill. The three made their way up the ledge and stalked towards them. Yami looked to Aqua. "We have no choice unless we want to get killed." he spoke and Aqua nodded as they jumped down, running along the steep hill but soon lost their footing and tumbled the rest of the way down and into the briers.

Crimson, Ruby and Toben followed behind and both Yami and Aqua crawled through the patch in attempts to escape. Crimson saw the briers and recoiled._ **"Whoa!"**_ he shouted, sliding to a stop and let out a relieved breath.

But his save was short lived as Ruby crashed behind him, then Toben which flung him into the brambles and he yelped as he jumped out, covered in thorns and both Ruby and Toben laughed as he climbed back out, wincing. He walked by, flinching with each step before Ruby turned to see Yami and Aqua escape from the brambles.

"Hey! They're they go! They're they go!"

Crimson started removing some of the thorns before looking to him. "Then go get 'em." he hissed. Ruby huffed. "There ain't no way I'm going in there! What, you want me to come out looking like _you_? Cactus butt?" he snickered and Toben watched Crimson with a grin. He pulled out a few from his backside with his mouth and glared at Toben before spitting the thorns at him, making him yelp as he rubbed his nose free of the offending thorns. "But we gotta finish the job." Crimson spoke.

"Well, they both are as good as dead out there. But if they come back, we'll kill them." Ruby replied. Crimson grinned as he looked out to Yami and Aqua's retreating forms. "Hey! Ya hear that?! You come back and we kill you both!" he yelled, the last few words echoing through the canyon before they laughed, walking back towards the canyon to enact the final piece to Pegasus' plan.

* * *

Zypher: And that's the end of this chapter. Hoped you like and soon, we'll be getting to the introduction of Jou and Kaiser and the fun they'll be getting into. And if I think about it, I'll probably get to the next chapter very soon ( not only to get to the big fight scene and laugh at the thought of Jou in drags but to also get to the antics that they'll be getting themselves into) so keep an eye out for it. For now, see you later.


	4. Hakuna Matata

Zypher: And like I promised, here's the next chapter for The Demon King Saga. Thanks for your lovely reviews so I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 4

* * *

Later that night, Pegasus stood upon the stairs of the palace, looking out to the family members and friends that lived in the palace. "Atemu's death was a terrible, terrible tragedy but to lose Yami _and_ Aqua...that was a horrible thing to behold." Pegasus spoke, looking to all the saddened demons.

Mahaado knelt down and comforted Heba who was crying at the loss of not only his husband but his two children as well. Yugi buried his face into his mother's dress, crying. "And for me, this is a very deep and personal loss. So it is with a very heavy heart that I shall assume the throne as new king of the palace." He then smiled.

"But there is hope for out of the ashes dawns a new era..." he finished and soon, vampire demons started emerging from the shadows of the palace, laughing lightly and some of the demons gasped at seeing them. "A new era when demons and vampire demons come together to a bright and better future!" More and more started to encompass the courtyard, their laughter echoing through the palace as the skies darkened above, covering the moonlight that shone down on them.

Not far, Keara sighed and looked to Diamond sadly. She looked down before turning to the wall painting she made days ago and smeared it, showing that Yami is now gone from the world. But even farther still was Yami and Aqua lying in the hot desert sun, unconscious.

* * *

Early the next day, buzzards were seen flying above the two children and one swooped down, landing before they all followed and started picking at what they presumed dead and their next meal. It was silent before a shout was heard and two figures came running out of nowhere, whooping and hollering as they jumped into the midst of the buzzards and started to slap and kick them away. "Oh yeah! I just love a good game of bowling for buzzards!" The sphinx shapeshifter spoke with glee.

The blonde haired shapeshifter nodded in agreement, laughing. "It gets 'em every time." he said. The other nodded before looking to the bodies they were picking at and saw they were still breathing slightly. "Hey, Jou, I think you better come see this. I think they're still alive." he spoke and the other flinched, disgusted.

"Sure about that? I'm not touching any dead bodies." he said as he walked over. He changed into a wolf and sniffed Yami lightly before removing his hand that was covering his face and jumped, shifting back. "Oh jeez! It's a demon!" he exclaimed, jumping on the other's back. "Run, Kaiser! Move your tucas!"

"Now just hold on a minute, Jou. They both look so cute and adorable and all alone. Let's keep 'em." he said with a smile. Jou snorted and pulled at his ear. "Kaiser, are you nuts?! We're talking about demons! Demons eat our kind as far as I know!" Jou yelled into his ear and Kaiser flinched. "But they're so little. They can barely take us down let alone eat us."

"Yeah, unless they team up on us." Jou said, crossing his arms. "And they will get bigger and be able to become full fledged demons and then we're goners!"

Kaiser huffed and looked back down to them. "Maybe if we watch over them, they'll be on our side." Kaiser suggested. Jou was able to reprimand him when an idea came to mind. "Wait! I got it! What if they were on _our_ side? Maybe having these two around won't be so bad." Kaiser snorted but nodded.

"So we're keeping them?" he asked and Jou nodded. "Of course. Who do you think the brains of this outfit is?" he huffed as he picked up Yami.

"Uhh..."

"My point exactly. Now come on, I'm frying out here. Let's get into some shade." he spoke as he walked off and Kaiser picked up Aqua before following.

They entered into the oasis not far from them and lied Yami and Aqua by the pool there. Kaiser gently splashed water onto them and they stirred. Yami opened his eyes and looked around. "You alright?" Jou asked. He looked up to him before nodding. "I guess so." he whispered as he sat up, looking over to Aqua who was also waking up.

"You two nearly died out there." Kaiser spoke softly, sitting next to them. "And I saved you." Jou gloated and Kaiser snorted at him. "Well, Kaiser saved you. I just helped." Yami nodded slightly as he stood, helping Aqua up. "Thanks for your help." he whispered quietly as they both started to walk off.

"Hey, hey, where are you two going?" Jou asked, following them at a slower pace. "Nowhere." Aqua replied, still walking along with Yami. Jou stopped and looked to Kaiser who walked over to his side. "Man...they look blue." Kaiser looked to him quizzically. "I'd say a midnight black." he spoke. "No, not that kinda blue. I mean blue as in they're depressed." Jou stated. "Oh." He looked to him before trotted off towards them. "Hey, what eatin' you two up so much?" he asked.

"Nothing! They're both at the top of the food chain! Nothing can eat them!" Jou joked and they only looked to him with a blank stare. He coughed to himself, seeing that his joke flopped before looking to Yami and Aqua. "So, where are you two from...?" he asked. "It doesn't matter anymore. We can't go back." Yami said. "A outcast, huh? That's great! So are we!" Jou spoke. "Wha'cha do?" Kaiser asked.

"It's too horrible to think about and I don't wanna talk about it."

"Good, we don't wanna hear about it." Jou said as they sat down. Kaiser turned to him. "Come on, Jou." He then looked back to Yami and Aqua. "Anything we can do?" he sighed. "If you had the ability to change the past then we could use all the help you could give us." Kaiser frowned before grinning. "You know, kid, my bud Jou here always say in time like this, 'You got to put you behind in your past.'" he said.

"No no no."

"I mean..." he started and Jou held a hand to his mouth. "Lie down before you hurt yourself. Its 'You got to put your past behind you'. Look, bad things happen nearly all the time and you can't do anything about it, right?"

"Right." Yami stated.

"Wrong!" he said, tapping Yami's nose. "When the world turn its back to you, _you_ turn your back on the world." he said. "That's not what we were taught." Aqua spoke. "Well its time for a new lesson. Repeat after me." He clears his throat. "Hakuna Matata." Yami looked confused. "What?"

"Ha-ku-na Ma-ta-ta. It means 'No worries'." Kaiser looks to Jou. "Take it away, mi amigo."

"Of course. Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase!" Jou started.

"Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze!" Kaiser sung as they both walked off and both Yami and Aqua followed. "It means no worries, for the rest of your days." Jou pulled Aqua over a bush and lets him lay there, sitting next to him and pulling out a file, filed a nail down. "Its our problem-free philosophy! Hakuna Matata!"

"Hakuna Matata? What's that?" Aqua asked. "It's our motto." Kaiser said. "What a motto?" Yami questioned. "Nothing! What a motto with you?" Jou joked and laughed. Kaiser laughed along with him as he sidled up with Yami and slung an arm around him. "You know kid, these two simple words will solve all you problems." he said and Jou agreed. "Yeah! Take Kaiser for example. Why, when he was a young shifter..."

"When I was a young shifteeer!"

Jou flinched, cleaning out his ear. "Very nice." Kaiser grinned. "Thanks!"

"He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal. He could clear the savanna after every meal."

"I'm a sensitive soul, though I seem thick-skinned. And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind! And oh, the shame!" he sung dramatically.

"He was ashamed!" Jou said just as dramatically.

"Thoughta changin' my name!"

"Oh what's in a name!"

"And I got downhearted!"

"How did you feel?"

"Ev'rytime that I..."

"Whoa! Wait, Kaiser, not in front of the kids!" Jou halted and he stopped. "Oh, sorry." Yami and Aqua looked surprised. They looked back to them as Kaiser was hoisted up on a vine swing by Jou and interest started to show.

"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase! Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze!" They sung as they swung by a few times and getting into the rhythm, Yami sung along. "It mean no worries for the rest of your days!" he sung and Jou grinned, jumping off the vine beside him. "Sing it, kid!" he said before he wrapped an arm around him.

"It's our problem-free..." They sung and Kaiser landed beside them. "...philosophy..." he said before wincing a little. "Hakuna Matata!" They finished together before Kaiser and Jou led them towards a fern leaf that Jou pulls back, revealing their humble home. Yami and Aqua were in awe as they looked around the rift-jungle completely.

"You two live here?" Aqua asked, still in awe. "We live wherever we want to. Eat whatever we want to eat." Jou said as they headed further into their home. "Yep! Home is where the rump rests!" Kaiser added and they nodded. "It's beautiful." Yami whispered and Kaiser let out a belch.

"Whoo, excuse me. I'm starved now." he said and Yami agreed. "Me too. I think I could eat a whole zebra right now." he said and Jou flinched with his want for meat._ 'I knew it. How are we supposed to deal with this?'_ he thought. "Wellllll, we're fresh out of zebra." Jou spoke.

"Any antelope?" Aqua asked. "Nope."

"Human?" Yami asked a little desperately. "Eyeeah, no. Listen, if you want to live with us, you gotta eat like us." Jou said as he walked over to a tree. "This looks like a fine place to rustle up some grub." He said. Kaiser trotted over to the tree and gave it a firm kick, knocking down some fruits. Yami looked curious as they loaded up on some of the fruits. "What are those?" Yami asked. "What, you never saw fruit before?" Jou said as he chomped down on a piece. Kaiser grinned as he ate one himself. "Sweet and satisfying."

Jou walked towards a bush, picking off a handful of berries. "These are rare delicacies." He eats a few, humming in delight. "Yeah. You two will learn to love 'em." Kaiser said, still muching on the gathered fruit. Jou nodded. "I'm tell ya, this is the great life. No rules, no responsibilities." he went over to the waterfall and dug through the water, taking out a few lake fruits (the same ones from my Price of Love story). "Oooh, the multi-sweet kind." he said, eating it before walking on, holding a huge leaf with more fruit stacked on it.

"And best of all, no worries." he finished as he walked over to them and held the fruit to them. "Well?" Aqua looked to Yami and he shrugged. "Oh well, Hakuna Matata." He spoke, taking a piece of fruit and ate it but was surprised at its sweetness. "Sweet and satisfying." he repeated, smiling and Jou smiled as well.

As the months went by, Yami and Aqua got used their their new life more and more, growing up as the months went by. Jou and Kaiser were walking along, chanting "Hakuna Matata" along the way. From behind, Yami leapt out, now an adult demon. "It means so worries, for the rest of your days!" he sung as Aqua followed behind him, also an adult.

"It's our problem-free philosophy!" The four sang. "Hakuna Matata." Yami said. Jou ran off towards a log that sat over a pool and he jumped off, falling into the pool in a cannonball. Kasier went next, making a small splash as he did a swan dive. Running from opposite ends, Yami and Aqua swung on two vines and high fived each other before the vines snapped, causing them to fall into the pool with a big splash that washed Jou and Kaiser onto the shore.

They laughed as they stood up and both Yami and Aqua climbed out of the pool, hair and spines dripping wet and Yami shook his head, causing his hair to come out in an even wilder mess but he slicked it back into place before he and Aqua followed beside Jou and Kaiser, humming the tune of Hakuna Matata as they walked off further into the jungle.

* * *

Back at the palace, everything was grim and grey and so was the surrounding area. Pegasus was sitting in Atemu's throne, picking his teeth with a broken piece of bone. Above him, Mahaado sat in a cage, singing since Pegasus ordered him to. "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow..." he sung. Pegasus looked up to him.

"Oh Mahaado, lighten up." he said as he threw the bone shard at him and it clattered against the cage, making him flinch. "Sing something with a little more...bounce in it." he said and Mahaado tried to think of another song.

"It's a small world after all..."

"Oh no! Anything but that!"

Mahaado snorted. "For all I know, that song suits you." he murmured before thinking up another song and shudder at the one that came to mind but started to sing anyway. "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts diddely-dee-dee. There they are a-standing in a row..." he started and Pegasus smiled as he started to sing along.

"Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head..." They both sung and Mahaado stopped but Pegasus continued on. "Oh I would never have to do this for Atemu." Pegasus abruptly stopped and glared up to him. "_What!!!_ What was that?!" he hissed. "Oh nothing! Nothing at all!" Mahaado sputtered, backing into the bars of the cage even though he's higher up than the other.

"You know the law: never speak that name in my presence!" Pegasus growled. "I am the king now and I don't was to hear anyone _mutter_ his name."

"Of course! Of course! I was just illustrating the differences in your royal managerial approaches." he spoke with a nervous laugh before going silent as Ruby, Crimson and Toben walked in. "Hey, boss!" Crimson called and Pegasus gave a huff as he turned to them. "What is it?" Pegasus questioned impatiently. "We got a bone to pick with you." he spoke and Ruby held him back. "Let me handle this before you get yourself ripped to shreds for saying something wrong." Ruby said before walking forward. "Pegasus, there no food and water for miles."

"Yeah and it's dinner time. We got no stinkin' entrees for a meal." Crimson added. Pegasus gave an exasperated sigh. "Its the female demons' job to hunt." he said. "Yeah, we know but they ain't hunting. Neither are any of the males."

"Oh...? Then eat Mahaado if you're so hungry."

Mahaado's eyes widened and he shook his head quickly. "No no, that won't be necessary! I'm too tough and gamey and ewww." he said, backing up further into the cage just to avoid their sight. "Don't be so ridiculous there, Mahaado. All you need is a little garnish. Maybe some spices." Pegasus spoke. Crimson snorted as he looked to Ruby. "And I thought things were bad when Atemu was here." Pegasus heard him and turned around furiously. "_What _did you say?"

"I said Ate..." Ruby nudged him harshly to reprimand him and then realization struck and he tried to think up of something else quickly. "Oh..uh...I said 'A tissue'." he said, shaking a little with fear at Pegasus' anger but then it receded and he let out a breath. "Good. Now get." he said, waving them off. They nodded and started walking out but then they paused, turning back to him. "Mmm...yeah. But we're still hungry." Crimson stated. "Out!" he roared and they ran, Toben letting out a laugh and Crimson hit him over the head.

Outside, Yugi looked over their once glorious palace. _'Yami...Aqua...you both have to be alive. Everything is falling apart here and we need you both back if not one of you. I know you're alive but why did you leave us, Yami? Why did you leave me?'_ he thought sadly before getting up.

"I have to find them. They have to still be out there somewhere and I will look through every jungle and every human village to find you two. You're the future king, Yami and you need to take your place as king and kick Pegasus out." he whispered before unfurling his wings and flew off, starting his search and hope it wasn't just a dream that Yami and Aqua were both alive.

* * *

Zypher: And that's it for this chapter. Bet you noticed that yes, I changed it from bugs to fruits and such since I know that some of you may think about what I was going to do about that point during Jou and Kaiser's little entrance.

Also decided to add a little part with Yugi since as you all know, in the movie, they never mentioned exactly how Nala got to the oasis where Simba stayed and exactly how long she traveled before finding said oasis so I'm adding my little twist to tell what Yugi does before getting there. Anyways, hoped you enjoyed the chapter and I'll get the next on out as soon as I can. See you later.


	5. Facing the Past

Zypher: Here we are again with another chapter to The Demon King Saga. As always, happy you all enjoyed the last chapter so here's this one for you.

* * *

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 5

* * *

Later in the night, back at the jungle, everything was peaceful...

Until a large belch was heard.

Jou snickered. "Good one, Aqua." He grinned. "Thanks. Man, I am stuffed." he said, licking his snout.

"Me too. I ate like a pig." Kaiser spoke.

"Kaiser, you shapeshifted into a warthog when you ate tonight. Of course you ate like a pig." Jou replied.

"Oh. Right."

They all sighed unison before Kaiser looked over to Jou. "Hey, Jou? Did you ever wonder what the stars are up there?" he asked. "Um...they're fireflies. Yeah, fireflies that got stuck up there in the sky." he said with a smug smirk. "Are you sure? I always thought stars are balls of gas burning billions of miles away." Kaiser said and Jou turned to him. "Kaiser, with you, everything's related to gas." he said and Kaiser pouted. Jou laughed before looking to Yami.

"Yami, what do you think?"

"Well, I don't know..." Yami said, shrugging. "Aw, come on. We told you what we think now what about you?" Kaiser said, prodding him lightly. "Yeah. Tell us what you think of them." Yami sighed, looking back up to the stars.

"Well, someone once told me that the great kings of the past are up there in the stars." Yami said. "Really?" Kaiser asked in awe. "So, you're saying a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?" Jou asked and tried to keep a composure but started to laugh. Kaiser joined in and so did Yami, but half-heartedly.

"Who told you something like that? Better yet, what person in their right mind would say that?"

"Yeah, that is pretty dumb." Yami said. "Oh, it kills me." Jou spoke. Yami sighed lightly before getting up and left. They watched him go before Jou looked to Aqua. "Was it something I said?"

As he walked, he came up to a ledge and sighed, flopping back onto the ledge, milkweed floss flying up into the air and flying off with the wind. The winds continued to carry the milkweed until it reached a familiar cavern. Diamond stood upon the cavern and when she saw the milkweed flutter by, she grabbed some before jumping back down into the cavern.

Keara looked to her with a smile as she walked by, throwing the milkweed into a large bowl and sifting it around a bit. She grabbed a mango from nearby and took a bite before examining the milkweed floss. Her eyes widened in realization and looked to Keara.

"Keara! Yami and Aqua are alive! They're both alive!" she said. "Really?" She nodded, laughing happily as she ran over to the rubbed out cave drawing of Yami and took some powder from a pouch tied to her side and threw it upon the painting, the Sennen eye on the ceremonial crown glowing with a gold light. Keara walked over and looked down to her. "It is time." Diamond nodded and they both left out to find them.

* * *

Above, Yugi still flew, looking for any sign of Yami or Aqua. "So far no luck but my heart says they're still alive somewhere. I have to find them, for the fate of the demon kingdom." he said to himself but soon started to feel hungry and looked around for a place to find something. He spotted the jungle and hoping to find something there, descended.

* * *

The next day, some humming was heard as Kaiser and Jou walked along through the jungle. "Ohi'mbube, Ohi'mbube, Ohi'mbube, Ohi'mbube..." Kaiser sung as Jou joined in. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. In the jungle, the mighty jungle..." As he sung, Kaiser saw a bug and followed it, grinning and still humming the beat but it faded the farther he went.

"The lion sleeps...I can't hear you buddy!" Jou called before making a pose. "A-WEEEE-ee-EE-ee ba-Pum-ba-bum-ba-way! A--" He stopped, looking around when he realized Kaiser wasn't around. "Kaiser? Now where did he run off to?" he questioned as he looked around.

Kaiser continued to follow the bug, still humming and then hid away as the bug turned for a glance and then it walked off and he started to follow it again. As he got close, and ready to pounce, it flew up onto a log and crawled over. He snorted as he made his way to the log and climbed over when he heard something rustling in the grass nearby.

He turned to look behind him and didn't see anything. "Jou? You better not be trying to scare me." he said, looking around briefly before shrugging and hopping over the log to find the bug he was following. He heard a sound again and looked down to see dark violet eyes staring at him, the demon owning those eyes ready to pounce.

Kaiser screamed out in terror and ran off, the demon following in pursuit. Kaiser tried his best to outmaneuver the demon but he was still hot on his trail. Not far, Jou heard Kaiser's yell and went to look for him, dodging branches and climbing over protruding roots. He spotted Kaiser running towards him and was trying to get under a tree root but got stuck.

He struggled as he tried to slip under the tree root and Jou ran over to him. "Kaiser! Kaiser, what's going on?!" Jou questioned, trying to calm the other down. "He's gonna eat me!" he yelled and Jou looked back to see the demon running towards them. "Whoa!" Jou quickly jumped over the branch and pulled at Kaiser's tail.

"Jeez! Why do I always have to save your..." he grumbles, trying to free him and turns, seeing the demon close in and screams, backing up into Kaiser. Before the demon could catch them both, a black blur jumped over the root, tackling the other demon down and they got into a fight, scratching and biting at each other savagely.

Jou lets out a breath before patting Kaiser's side. "Don't worry, I'm here for ya. Everything going to be fine." he said before looking back to the two fighting demons. "Come on! Bite his head off! Aim for his neck! His neck!" he yelled before looking back down to Kaiser.

"See, I told you he would come in handy." he said with a grin that Kaiser couldn't see. The fight soon became a wrestling match, both rolling around until the violet eyed demon pinned Yami down and he looked up to the other in surprise. _'I only know of one person who could pin me down like this.'_ he thought, looking deep into the violet eyes of the other who was still snarling at him. "Yugi?" he called softly and the other, surprised, backed away quickly and ears pinned back threateningly. "Yugi, is it really you?" he asked again.

"Who are you?" he questioned.

"It's me. Yami." he said, shifting back. Yugi gasped and he shifted back as well, smiling brightly. "Ra, it is you!" he said happily as he ran over and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Yami! I thought you were dead!" he cried, hugging the other more. "What's going on?" Aqua asked as he walked into the reunion scene and Yugi turned to him.

"Aqua?! You're here too?! But well how did you...where did you come from...it's just so great to see you both again!" Yugi babbled and Aqua ran over to embrace Yugi as well. "No kidding! It's great to see you too!"

Jou was baffled by the entire thing and walked over to them. "Uh...what's goin' on here?" he questioned but they didn't give him a response. "What are you doing here?" Yami asked. "What do you mean 'What am I doing here'? What are you two doing here?" he countered and Jou split up the two of them.

"Hey! What is going on here?!" he yelled. Aqua chuckled lightly. "Jou, this is our old friend, Yugi." Aqua introduced. "Friend?" Jou repeated, confused with this new information. Yami turned to look back to Kaiser who was still trying to get himself from under the root. "Come on, Kaiser. Come over here." Yami called and Kaiser finally pulled himself free and walked over.

"Yugi, this is Kaiser. Kaiser, Yugi." Yami introduced. "Nice to make your acquaintance." Kaiser spoke. "Likewise." Yugi said with a smile. "Nice to meet you too...wait, wait, wait. Time out here." Jou said as he looked to the three of them. "You two know him. And he knows you two." he said, pointing to them.

"Then he tries to eat him," Points to Kaiser. "And you're fine with that. Did I miss something?!" Yami laughed. "Relax, Jou. Everything's fine now." Yami said. Yugi clasped his hands together. "Wait til everyone hears that you two been here all this time! And Heba, he was be so happy to know you two are still alive!" Yugi exclaimed.

Hearing this, Yami lowered his head. "He doesn't have to know. No one does."

Yugi looked back to him and Aqua. "Yes they do. Don't you know how many demons mourned about you two? They think you both are dead." Yugi said. "They do?" Aqua questioned. Yugi nodded. "Yeah. Pegasus told us about the stampede and that you two died." Yami closed his eyes at the thought. "He did, huh? What else did he mention?"

"Does it matter? All that matter is that you're both alive and that means you're the new king, Yami. Not Pegasus." Yugi said. "King?" Jou said pointedly and snorted. "Man, do you have your demons crossed. Yami isn't a king." But Kaiser's reaction to this information was quite different. "King?" He turned to Yami and bows before him.

"Your majesty! I gravel at your feet!" he said, kissing the ground. "Quit it." Yami spoke. Jou hit Kaiser over the head. "It's grovel, not gravel." He then looked back to Yugi. "Like I said, he is not the king. Right, Yami?"

"Right."

"But, Yami..." Yugi started.

"No. I am not the king. I could've been but that was a long time ago...long time ago before the accident that ruined our lives." Yami whispered, turning away from Yugi. "Wait, so let me get this straight. You both are kings? And you never told us?" he questioned. "Look, we're the same people..." Aqua started and Jou cut him off.

"But with power! Lots and lots of power! You two could do anything you want with this power!" Aqua snorted and Yugi took hold of Yami's arm. He looked over to Jou, Aqua and Kaiser with an apologetic look. "Can you please excuse us for a moment?" he asked. "Hey, whatever you have to say to him can be said in front of us, right?" Jou spoke.

"Maybe we should go. This is something that should be settled between them." Aqua said, looking down to them. Jou looked aghast but then nodded. "And you think you know a guy..." he said as he walked off with Kaiser walking behind him. Aqua shook his head, a small smile gracing his face as he looked to Yugi. "Jou and Kaiser. You'll learn to love them." he said before he too walked off. When they were gone, Yugi looked down sadly and Yami walked over to him. "What...what's wrong?" he asked.

"It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know how much this would mean to everyone." he said quietly as he looked back up to him. "...How much it means to me." Yugi's eyes showed his pain and Yami wrapped his arms around him. "Hey, it's alright." he whispered. Yugi sighed as he wrapped his arms around Yami, nuzzling his chest lightly.

"I really missed you." he whispered, his tail moving to curl around Yami's. Yami himself was startled by Yugi's boldness but smiled, hugging him closer before they started to walk off. "I missed you too, Yugi."

Not far away, Jou and Kaiser watched from a nearby bush. Jou lets out a sigh as he watched them. "I tell you, Kaiser, this stinks." he said. "Oh, sorry." he whispered. Jou hit him again. "Not you, them. Together. All alone." he said with a huff. "And what's wrong with that?" Kaiser asked. "I can see what's happening."

"What?" Kaiser asked, confused.

"And they don't have a clue."

"Who?" He spoke again, still confused.

"They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line, our pack of four's down to three."

"Oh."

"Ze sweet caress of twilight, there's magic everywhere. And with all this romantic atmosphere, disaster's in the air." Jou finished and back with Yami and Yugi, they were walking along, proceeding down and waterfall and watching each other like curious kittens as the walked before stopping at the lake.

_Can you feel the love tonight?  
The peace the evening brings?  
The world, for once, in perfect harmony  
With all its living things._

Yugi knelt down and cupped his hand, dipping them into the water before taking a drink. Yami watched him silently, thinking about him. _'So many things to tell him. But how to make him see. The truth about my past? Impossible! He'd turn away from me.'_

Yugi looked up to him as well, also thinking but it was about Yami. _'He's holding back, he's hiding. But what? I can't decide. Why won't he be the king I know he is? The king I see inside?'_ Yami gave a small grin as he got up and ran off and Yugi looked for him through the brush. He then saw him come back on a vine, dropping into the water and he looked down in the water for him.

Without a warning, Yami jumped up and grabbed him, dragging him back in and Yugi yelped and he disappeared underwater. They both came back up and Yugi quickly got out of the water, Yami following behind him and looking to him with a grin. Yugi smirked and pushed him back in before running off.

_Can you feel the love tonight?  
The peace the evening brings?  
The world, for once, in perfect harmony  
With all its living things?_

_Can you feel the love tonight?  
You needn't look too far -  
Stealing through the night's uncertainties  
Love is where they are._

When they finally found each other, they shifted into their demon forms and chasing each other before getting into play fight for a bit. They didn't see the hill being them until the fell back, rolling down the hill and Yami had Yugi pinned beneath him for once. He looked down to him and chuckled. Yugi smiled up to him before reaching up and bringing his head down, placing a light kiss on Yami's cheek, startling him. He looked down down to Yugi and saw him giving him a seductive smile and he smiled back, leaning down to nuzzle him.

Back with Jou and Kaiser, they were still in the same place they were, tears in their eyes. "And if he falls in love tonight," Kaiser sniffs at hearing this. "It can be assumed-"

"His carefree days with us are history-"

"In short, our pal is doomed." They both finished before bursting into tears, hugging each other.

* * *

"Isn't it great here?" Yami questioned as he and Yugi, now back into their regular demon forms, walked along a log where a hanging hammock made up of vines hovered. He climbed in and Yugi sat down in front of him. "It's very beautiful but I don't understand one thing. If you and Aqua were still alive, why didn't one or both of you come back to the palace?" Yugi asked. "We need to just get out on our own...to live our own lives. We finally did and its great." he said, sounding more as if he was trying to convince himself more than Yugi.

"But we really need one of you back home." Yugi said. Yami sighed. "No one needs us." he whispered.

"Yes they do! You're the king while Aqua is the next behind you if something were to happen and you didn't have children to carry your legacy." Yugi spoke. "Yugi, we've been through this already, I'm not the king. Pegasus is now." he said, turning away from Yugi. "But Yami, he let the vampire demons take over the palace and the kingdom. There's no food, no water. If you don't come back to restore order, we will all die." Yugi said. Yami sighed, climbing out of the vine hammock and turned his back to him.

"I can't go back and neither can Aqua."

"Why?" Yugi questioned, his voice raising a bit.

"You wouldn't understand."

"And what wouldn't I understand?"

Yami shook his head quickly. "No, nevermind. It doesn't matter now. Hakuna Matata." Yugi was confused by the saying and watched Yami's back intensely. "What does that mean?" he asked. "Hakuna Matata is something I learned while I lived here. Sometimes bad things happen..." Yami spoke and Yugi cut him off by calling his name, not wanting to hear more.

He looked back to Yugi, irritated. "...And there's nothing you can do about it so why worry?" he hissed before walking off. Yugi followed him in attempts to stop the other. "Because its your responsibility as the new king!" Yugi said angrily.

"And what about you? You left!" Yami retorted, looking to him. "Because I left to find you and Aqua! My heart told me that somehow, someway, you both were alive and I found you." Yugi said before lowering his head, tears gathering in his. "Don't you understand? We need you." he whispered. Yami continued to walk off, not bothering to turn back. "Sorry." he said softly. Yugi continued to stand there, tears now coursing down his face. "You're not the Yami I remember. What happened to you?"

"I've found a new life and the Yami you knew died. Are you satisfied now?" Yami growled, stopping in his tracks to look back to Yugi who still has tears running down his face but he didn't care with the anger flowing through him. "No, just disappointed." Yugi whispered. Yami snorted as he started to walk away again.

"You know, you're starting to sound too much like my father." he whispered and Yugi caught onto his last few words. "Good, at least one of us does." Yami snarled in anger. "Listen! Do you really think you can just show up out of nowhere and tell me how to live _my_ life?! You don't even know what I've been through in the past!"

Yugi, equally angered, retorted. "I would if you would tell me!"

"Forget it!"

"Fine!"

After the verbal spar, they both parted ways, Yami continuing on his way while Yugi ran back to the place where he found Yami and Aqua and fell to his knees, his sobs echoing through the jungle.

* * *

Snarls and growls were heard as Yami paced through a field, still angry and trying to vent off his anger. "He's wrong. I can't go back. You can't change the past so it wouldn't mean anything." he hissed before looking up to the stars. "You said you would always be there for me! But you're not!" he yelled and then looked down.

"And it was our fault. All our fault." he whispered. He started to hear chanting and looked around, trying to place the sound. The chanting started again and now becoming annoyed with it, walked off through the plains. Diamond appeared in the trees, laughing lightly before following.

He walked over a log and looked down into the water's depths, kicking a rock and disturbing the still waters. Diamond landed again and she started the chant again. He looked up to her with a snort. "Will you cut it out already?" he said. "Nope! Can't cause it'll grow right back!" she joked, laughing. Yami shook his head and walked off, with her following behind him still. "Creepy little...will you stop following me? Who are you anyway?" he questioned but bumped into another person and looked up to see Keara.

"The question more likely is: Who are _you_?" she said, pointing to him. He sighed, looking away. "I thought I knew. But now, I'm not so sure." he said softly. "Well, I know who you are. Come on, come here." Yami leaned down to Diamond to hear what she had to say and she whispered the chant and he backed off, annoyed again.

She laughed and Keara gave a chuckle as well. "Enough already. What's that supposed to mean anyway?" he questioned. "No need for you to know." Diamond spoke. "Now I'm confused." Yami said and she laughed again as she walked past him.

"Well of course you are. You forgotten who you are." she said smugly. Yami's eyes narrowed as he looked to her. "Oh, and I suppose you know then?" he said sarcastically. "Sure do; you're Atemu's boy." she said before running off. "Bye!"

"Hey, wait a minute!" he called and followed behind her, passing Keara and found Diamond sitting upon a rock as if in meditation. "You knew my father?" he asked. "Correction -- I know your father." she said in a monotone voice, looking down to him. "I hate to tell you this, but he's gone. Dead to be blunt." he said, looking down.

"Nope! Wrong again! He's still alive and I'll show him to you!" she said, hopping off the rock and running off in the dense underbrush of the jungle. "Follow me for I know the way!" she said before disappearing into the jungle. Yami followed quickly behind her, jumping over fallen logs and roots and ducking under branches, trying to keep up.

As he got closer, Keara appeared again, holding a hand up. "Stop!" she said and he quickly skid to a stop before he could hit her. "How did you get here so fast?" he questioned in surprise and she shook her head, not planing to answer and only parted the reeds behind her.

"Look down there." she said and Yami walked over slowly and then looked down, seeing nothing but his reflection in the water. He gave a disappointed sigh. "That's not my father. It's just me." he said softly. "No. Look closer." she whispered and he did so and he soon saw his image forming into that of his father.

"He lives in you." Keara said as the winds started to pick up and in the night sky, the clouds started to come, forming into the image of a demon. "Yami..." The image spoke and Yami realized it was his father. "Father?" he whispered. "Yami, have you forgotten who you are? Have you forgotten me?" Atemu spoke.

"No! Of course not!" he said. "But you have. By forgetting who you are, you have forgotten me. Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life." Atemu spoke again.

"But how? I'm not as I was before." Yami said. "Remember who you are. You are my son and one true king." he said before the clouds started to fade along with his image. "Wait, don't go!" Yami called as he jumped over the pond and followed the clouds. "Remember..."

"Don't leave me!" Yami called running after the storms clouds. "Remember..." Yami continued to run until Atemu's image was gone and then he finally stopped. The wind blew, tossing the grass restlessly and Diamond appeared beside Yami. "Now what was that?" she said, laughing. "What strange weather. Very peculiar, hmm?" she asked, looking to him. He nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Looks like the winds are changing." he whispered. "Ah yes. But change is good."

"Yeah but it's not going to be easy. I now what I have to do but that means I will have to face my past." Diamond snorted and whacked him over the head with her staff and he yelped. "Hey! What was that for?!" he hissed angrily, rubbing his head. "It doesn't matter! It's in the past!" she said. Still rubbing his head, he glared at her.

"Yeah, but it still hurts." he whispered. "Yes, the past can hurt, but you can learn from that." she said, swinging her staff again and Yami ducked. "Ha! See! Now, what do you plan to do next?" Yami thought for a moment and then grinned.

"First, I'm going to take your staff!" He snatched it away from her. "Nonono! Not my staff!" she cried as he threw it a little distance and she chased for it, picking it up and looked to Yami was was in his demon form and running back towards the palace. "Hey! Where are you going?!" she called.

"To face my past!" Yami called right back and she smiled. "Good! Go on! Get out of here now! Take your place as rightful king!" she called and Keara walked up to her. "Your odd sense of making people accept things is quite remarkable." she said and Diamond laughed. "Learned from the best." she said before they both left to find Yugi and Aqua.

* * *

Zypher: Yeah, probably missed another short song when I ended this but I thought this would be a good place to end for now. Now time for the questionnaire. One, since I know you may all agree with it, should I let Aqua be paired up with Yugi as well in this story or just leave it alone? And two, which movie shall I do next since this part is reaching its last few chapters. You have your choice between Lion King 2 or Lion King 1 and 1/2. Anyways, hoped you enjoyed and I'll see you next time with another chapter. See you soon.


	6. Reclaiming the Throne: End of Part 1

Zypher: Ok, I think I'll make a bunch of people happy with this. I'm finally getting back to updating this after eight months of not updating this. At first, I wasn't thinking about this. In my mind, I kept thinking of wolves howling so I was going to plan an update for Darkwolf or possibly Little Red Riding Hood if I put my mind to it. Then I listened to a favorable AMV on youtube called He Lives in Us (tribute to Yami and Yugi) and thought about this so now, I'm going to get off my duff and get working on it finally.

So, making a comeback from eight months of collecting dust, here's the next, very long awaited chapter of The Demon King Saga.

* * *

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 6

* * *

After Yami and Yugi's little argument, Yugi was still crying upon the jungle floor, that is, until Aqua came and found him. "What's wrong, Yugi?" he asked softly.

"It's Yami. He won't come back. The kingdom is going to fade away without him to rule." Yugi cried. Aqua crooned softly as he picked up the younger demon and hugged him. "I can always come back and take the rule back from Pegasus." he said. "No, I would feel better if Yami will accept it. I know you would without a second thought but Yami is next to the throne and I want him to rule for us. And maybe..." A light pink blush dusted his cheek and Aqua smiled.

"And you want to become his mate and bear his children." Yugi nodded. Aqua chuckled and nuzzled him. "Well, I guess you'll be happy to hear this." he said and Yugi turned to look up to him. "What?"

"I just saw him. He was on his way back to the palace." Amethyst eyes widened.

"Really? I thought he said he wasn't ever going back?"

"I guess he finally put the past behind him and is planning to change his future." Aqua said. "And I suggest we join him since I think that Pegasus isn't going to give up so easily and we'll have a big battle on our hands with those vampire demons following his every order." Yugi nodded and Aqua let him down. "Come on, I know just two others would wouldn't mind helping us."

* * *

Farther in the jungle, Jou and Kaiser were asleep, Kaiser mumbling about some sort of fruit as he slept. Aqua and Yugi approached them and seeing that they were asleep, Aqua sighed. Yugi stepped forward and nudged Jou. He grumbled softly before cracking open one eyes and seeing Yugi so close to his face, he yelped and fell back with a scream, causing Kaiser to wake up screaming as well. "Hey, hey! It's alright! It's just me and Yugi!" Aqua called and Jou looked haphazardly to the two of them before taking a breath.

"Please, don't ever do that again! Demons, oy!" he mumbled before standing up. "So, what do you need?" he asked. He then counted and realized they were short one.

"Hey, where's Yami?" he asked.

They heard laughter and looked up to see Diamond sitting upon a branch on a tree. "You won't find him around here, that's for sure." She chuckled softly before whispering. "The king has returned." Jou looked to her in confusion before turning to Aqua and Yugi. "Gone back? Gone back where?" He turned back to the tree and saw Diamond was gone. "Hey, where the crazy sphinx girl gone to?" Jou's mind was spinning with questions and Kaiser decided it was time to ask the question that would cure all confusion.

"What's going on here?"

"Yami's gone back to challenge Pegasus." Yugi replied.

"Who?" Jou asked.

"Pegasus." Aqua replied.

"Who has the flying horse?" Aqua slapped a hand to his forehead. "Yami went back to the palace to challenge our uncle and take his place on the throne as the rightful king." Both gave a 'oh' in realization before Jou asked another question.

"Why didn't you just go back?"

"Because Yami is technically older than me so he's next to the throne after our father's death. If he was dead, _then_ I would've been rightful king."

"Ah."

* * *

_Busa le lizwe (This land, invincible)  
Busa le lizwe (Rule this land)  
Busa le lizwe (Rule this land)  
Busa lomhlaba (Rule this land)_

_Sabusa le lizwe (You shall rule this land)  
Sabusa le lizwe (You shall rule this land)  
Sabusa le lizwe (You shall rule this land)  
Busa lomhlaba (Rule this land)_

Yami was running full speed towards the kingdom, which became darker as he progressed, not even taking a second thought about flying there and when he reached a ledge overlooking the once proud kingdom, he saw what became on the once precious kingdom that was ruled by his father. He growled angrily at he looked over the desolate place that was his home and then heard someone calling him. He turned back to see Yugi and Aqua, also as full demons, landing with Kaiser and Jou as eagles landing on their shoulders.

"Yugi?"

"It's awful, isn't it?" he questioned, looking to him and he nodded. "I wouldn't have believed you before until I see it with my own eyes." Yami whispered. "So, what made you finally come back here after everything you told me?" Yugi asked.

Yami placed a claw over the back of his head. "I got some sense knocked into me. And I have the bump to prove that, literally." He then looked back to the dark kingdom where Pegasus was waiting. "Besides, this is my kingdom now. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I would." Yugi replied and Yami turned to him. "You know that would be dangerous." he spoke. "I know but as someone told me before: I laugh in the face of danger." Yugi gave a hearty, mocking laugh and Yami smiled. Jou looked over the kingdom with golden eyes. "I don't see nothing funny about this." he whispered and Yami took a glance to him.

"I forgot you two were here. What brought you along?"

Kaiser gave a bow and looked to him. "At your service, my king." Jou took another once over of the kingdom and them glanced at Yami. "So, we're fighting your uncle for this?" He nodded. "Yeah. This is my home, you know."

He ruffled his feathers a little. "Talk about your fixer-uppers. But hey, you're fighting for this." And he gave a small smile. "And we're with you to the end, buddy." They all looked to the kingdom, the upcoming fight, and the work that will soon come to restore the kingdom back to its former glory.

* * *

They were sneaking along the wall of the palace and once they reached the entrance, they saw a good amount of vampire demons guarding the entrance. "Ugh. Vampire demons. I just hate them." Jou whispered with disgust before looking to Yami. "So, what's your plan to get rid of these guys."

"Live bait." he responded.

"Ah." Jou started nodding before realizing who he was talking about exactly in live bait. "Heeeey." he hissed. "Oh, come on, Jou. You have to create a good diversion." Yugi whined, looking to him and he huffed.

"What do you want me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?"

Of course, he was going to regret saying that.

* * *

The vampires demons looked up when they heard beats going off and turned to the diversion which was indeed, Jou in drags and Kaiser, shapeshifted as a pig, on a plate and playing the part although he looked uneasy.

Jou: Luau!

If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat  
Eat my buddy Kaiser here because he is a treat  
Come on down and dine  
On this tasty swine  
All you have to do is get in line

Hungry for the meal presented in broad daylight, the vampire demons started to advance towards them and with their attention diverted, Yami, Yugi and Aqua snuck towards the entrance to the palace.

Aaaare you achin'  
(Yup, yup, yup)  
Foooor some bacon?  
(Yup, yup, yup)  
Heeee's a big pig  
(Yup, yup)  
You could be a big pig too.

Oy!

Seeing that they got the desired attention, they did the only thing that would keep them away from the palace.

"Aaaaaaah!" They screamed as they ran off, some of the vampire demons following behind them. Once they were inside the palace, Yami turned to Yugi and Aqua. "You two, go and find my mother and tell him to rally up the demons that are still here. I'm going to find Pegasus myself." They nodded and Yugi walked over to him, licking his snout lightly. "Be careful." he whispered and Yami nodded before they split up.

* * *

Pegasus was sitting on the throne, some vampire demons scattered along the dais, eyes dark and foreboding. Yami snuck through the shadows of the room so he wouldn't be seen, glaring hotly at Pegasus.

"HEBA!!!!" he yelled and soon, he walked in and up the dais. Vampires demons hissed and clawed at him but he walked with dignity before he reached the throne and Pegasus. "Where is that hunting party of yours? They're not doing their job like they're supposed to." he hissed.

"There is no food around the kingdom, Pegasus. The herds have move and the human villages have packed and moved as well." Heba spoke with an air of calm. Pegasus snarled angrily as he stared him down. "You're just not looking hard enough. Send them out and find something to eat."

"It's over, Pegasus. Because of your rule, the kingdom have become desolate and faring poorly compared to before. The only choice we have is to migrate." Heba spoke. Pegasus stood and towered over the wiser demon. "We're not leaving here!" he growled. "Then you have doomed us all!" he hissed, eyes narrowed.

"So be it, then." Pegasus whispered.

"How can you do such a thing?" Heba hissed angrily. "I'm the king, I can do whatever I wish and if dooming the race is what I need to do the keep an iron fist over this palace, so be it." Pegasus replied without a tone of remorse. Heba's eyes widened at this and he growled. "If you were even half the king that Atemu was, he'd nev-" His sentence was cut of as he was slapped harshly by Pegasus' tail and he tumbled down the dais, being laughed at by vampires demons who watched the spectacle with humor gleaming in their dark eyes and Yami only watched in horror at the treatment his father received before hissing angrily.

"I'm ten times the king that unregal fool was!" Yami gave a roar at this and came from the shadows, shocking Pegasus at his sudden arrival. "Atemu?" he whispered meekly as he mistook him for the dead king. Yami ran over to Heba and picked him up, bushing a strand of hair from his face. He opened his eyes painfully and looked to Yami, mistaking him for another just as Pegasus did.

"Atemu?" he whispered. Yami shook his head. "No, father. It's me." Heba's eyes cleared and widened as he stared into the face of the child he thought he lost. "Yami? You're alive. Is Aqua here too?" he asked softly and he nodded. "Yes. We're both alive." Pegasus gave a snort before composing himself.

"Ah, dear Yami. It's a miracle to see you _alive_ and _well_." he said with a hissing undertone as he looked to a balcony that hovered over the throne room where Crimson, Ruby and Toben stood. Clearly seeing the anger that Pegasus was sending towards them, they slunk back into the room behind them before running outside to make sure that nothing was happening with the sudden appearance of Yami. Yami helped Heba up before ascending the dais, causing the vampire demons to scamper away as he made his way to Pegasus. When he reached the top, he advanced on Pegasus, making him back away towards the wall.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't tear you apart and scatter your remains to the far reaches of the valley?" Yami hissed, glaring at him with burning crimson eyes. "Oh, Yami. You see, you know the pressures of ruling a kingdom-"

"Aren't yours anymore. Step down." he growled.

"Now, now, nephew. Heh. You see, they," He pointed to the vampire demons that were starting to come back out, hissing lightly and baring their fangs. "They think that _I'M_ king now. So surely I can't step down with them thinking that."

"Well, we don't think that." Aqua said as he and Yugi walked in with the remaining demons of the kingdom. "So I suggest you listen and step down."

"Unless you want to fight." Yami snarled, claws flexing at the idea. Pegasus chuckled softly. "Now, Yami. I would hate for all this to end with violence. No need for another family member to die now, do we?" He growled. "I've put that behind me, Pegasus. That won't work a second time." Pegasus grinned menacingly, seeing he found a little hole in those words.

"But have your faithful subjects placed that behind them?" he questioned, looking to the demons. Yugi's snout scrunched up in thought before looking to Yami. "Yami...what is he talking about?" Said demon hissed angrily, seeing what Pegasus was trying to lead him towards. Aqua saw this as well and ears pinned back in anger.

"Well, well. This is a predicament now, isn't it? So let's shed a little light on this, shall we? Tell them who's responsible for Atemu's death!" Pegasus spoke and Yami growled before looking down. "Aqua and I were." he whispered but it was loud enough for the demons and Heba to hear and he gasped. "No." He turned to Aqua and ran to him, kneeling down to his eye level. "Please tell me, he's lying, right? You two wouldn't dare kill your father." Aqua closed his eyes before shaking his head.

"No. We were responsible for it." he whispered and Heba gave a soft cry and the demons spoke softly between one another at this. Pegasus smirked and looked to Yami, walking away from the corner that Yami had him back away in and started down the dais. "You see! They admit it! Murderers, I say!" he cried, hoping to turn the tables on them. "We're not murderers." Yami whispered and Pegasus sent a look his way. "It was all an accident."

"Now, don't try to get yourself out of it, dear nephew. Remember, if it wasn't for you two, he would still be alive, now wouldn't he? It's your fault that he's dead." Pegasus smirked even more. "Now, are you going to try and deny it?"

Yami clenched his teeth before shaking his head. "No." he whispered.

"Heh heh. Then you're guilty of murder. Ah, you're both in deep trouble now but as you can see, daddy dearest isn't here to help you two now. And everyone knows WHY!" he hissed, grabbing hold of Yami's tail and tossing him towards the steps that led to the outside balcony. He winced as he made impact with the stairs and saw Pegasus coming towards him and started backing away.

"You see, Yami, now you lost trust in your family. You and your brother killed your father. What are you going to do now? You're not worthy of taking the throne from ME!" he hissed, pushing him back enough that his back hit the railing. Pegasus came up and slapped him hard across the face, causing him to tumble over the edge but he grabbed hold of the railing to prevent him from the fall.

A strike of lightning hit the dried field, causing a fire to start and Pegasus, in all his maliciousness, grabbed hold of one wing and tore through it with his claws, causing Yami to cry out in pain. "Yami!" Yugi cried and was about to run towards them but two vampire demons blocked him, hissing and snapping at him. Pegasus did the same to the other before digging the tips right into Yami's claws, weakening his grip on the ledge and to the burning courtyard before, the fire advancing towards the entrance of the palace and blocking it off.

Blood dripped from the tattered wings and Pegasus smirked down to Yami, gleeful to see him powerless to stop him. _'And next is Aqua.'_ he thought, tightening his grip and causing him to hiss in pain. "Now, doesn't this look very familiar?" he questioned gleefully before gasping.

"Ah yes. This is the way your father looked before falling to his demise." he cackled before leaning down towards him.

"And here's _MY_ little secret: I killed Atemu!"

Yami's eyes widened as he heard this, going back into a brief memory relapse of this very moment and cried out all the same before gaining the strength to leap up and tackle Pegasus.

"Murderer!" he hissed, wrapping a hand around Pegasus' throat. "No, Yami. Please." he whimpered, eyes now shining with fear. "Tell them the truth. Tell them!" he snarled.

"Truth? Isn't truth in the eye of the beholder-" He gurgled as Yami tightened his grip around his neck. "Tell them!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll speak! I did it." he hissed and Yami gripped his neck to the point of cracking. "Say it so they can hear you."

"I did it! I killed Atemu!" he screeched and the demons gasped. Quick to act, the vampire demons attacked Yami in a flurry of teeth of claws, knocking him off Pegasus and he scrambled away before running off, Yugi growling angrily before he went towards Yami, more intended to help him than to chase Pegasus down. More vampire demons started to pour in to the throne room and the demons didn't take long to make their counterattack to help.

They were a loud battle cry as a bull charged in through the crowd of vampire demons, sending them flying, Jou riding upon its back. "Watch out! Pardon me! Move it! Out the way!" he called before reaching a clear spot and hopped off. "Ready, Kaiser?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." he said before they ran their separate direction. A vampire demon crawled down the length of a wall towards Yami, leaping at him and biting hard upon his neck. He gave a roar but the demon was slapped away. Diamond hovered above them and gave a cry before jumping into a circle of them, staff held at the ready. Everything was at a standstill before one leapt at her and she jumped over it and the rest just jumped in to attack but like a master martial arts master, she beat them away, finishing off one last vampire demon with the cheap fist over the shoulder. She grinned as she looked to the downed vampire demons.

"Never underestimate a girl with a staff." she said before she went to help fend of the onslaught of vampire demons still keeping Yami occupied.

In the dungeons, Jou was scrambling away from Ruby. Mahaado spotted him and ran to the cell door. "Let me out! Let me out!"

"Let me in! Let me in!" He said, shifting into a snake and slipped in before shifting back. Ruby and Crimson walked over to the cell, grinning wildly. "Please, don't eat me. Eat him instead." he pleaded, pointing to Mahaado.

"Hey!"

"Problem?" Kaiser called from the dungeon entrance. The two demons looked to him and Ruby smirked, licking his muzzle as he looked to him. _'Interesting.'_

"Hey, whose the fool here?" Crimson muttered.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Uh oh. They called him a fool." Jou whispered to Ruby who took a glance to him.

"Are you talking to me?!"

"Shouldn't 'a done that." Jou continued, starting to grin slightly.

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!?"

"Now they're in for it."

"They CALL me... MIIISTER SPHINX! AAAAAHHH...!!!!" Kaiser cried as he charged at them. From outside, Toben winced at the sounds of pained whimpers and screams from the other two. After a moment, Crimson came dashing out in a mess, trampling over him, Ruby following behind him. Seeing them being driven off, he followed behind them and Kaiser came out with Jou and Mahaado free from the cell. "You're the man, man!" Jou cheered, patting Kaiser's shoulder.

Along the rooftop of the palace, Pegasus tried to sneak off. Yami swatted another vampire demon away from him before spotting Pegasus along the rooftop and climb up the wall quickly, landing behind him and he jumped, turning to see him there. "Oh, Yami. What a pleasant surprise." he whispered and he growled. "Murderer." he hissed, stepping forward.

"Yami, please. Have mercy. I'm begging you." he whimpered.

"You don't deserve to even be on this earth, you traitor" Yami growled. "Yami! Please..." Looking unsure, he did the only thing that could possibly save him. Below, Crimson, Ruby and Toben were still running when they spotted them above. "Please...it...it wasn't my idea! It was the vampire demons! Blame them!" Pegasus declared and they growled as Pegasus tried to pin the blame on them. "That little prissy bastard!" Crimson growled and Ruby smirked. "So, he wants to place the blame on us." He chuckled. "Let's just show him what happens when he enlist our help then tries to get _us_ killed."

The other two grinned before dashing off again.

Above, Yami glared at him. "Why should I believe you? All you did was lie to me and Aqua."

Pegasus flinched at the hissing tone and looked around before spotting his freedom in the form of embers beside him from the raining ashes from the raging fire below. "So, what are you going to do then, Yami? You would kill your favorite uncle now, would you?"

He snorted. "I'm not like you."

"Ah, such nobility. Then tell me, dear nephew. What do you want me to do?"

He smirked. "Run. Run away and never return, Pegasus." he spoke, reciting the same thing he told him so many years ago. He smirked and nodded. "Of course, as you wish..." He reached out, grabbing a fistful of the simmering embers. "Your majesty!" he hissed, tossing the embers into his face and Yami roared as he backed away, brushing the embers away. Using this momentum, Pegasus shifted into his demon form and lunged at him, tackling him and a fight ensued. Both swiped and bit at the other, trying to get advantage over the rival.

Soon, Pegasus knocked Yami onto his back and lunged at him but Yami lifted his hind legs, catching Pegasus in the stomach and tossed him over the edge and to the courtyard. He landed harshly upon a scuffed pathway and shakily stood. He heard laughter and looked up to see vampire demons coming to circle around him. Ruby, Crimson and Toben stepped forwards, eyes shining with hatred. He gulped before smiling.

"Ah, my friends." he whispered and Crimson laughed.

"Ya hear that!? He called us his _friends_!" he cackled. "Didn't he just said _**we**_ were the _enemy_?!"

Pegasus' eyes widened when he heard this. _'No! They shouldn't have heard that!'_ he thought with fear at the pack closed in around him. He was sweating profusely from fear and the fire around them. "Yeah. That's what I heard." Ruby added before they turned to Toben.

"Toben?"

He cackled evilly and Pegasus tried to beg and plead his way out of his impending fate but they leapt upon him, tearing and ripping him apart, gulping flesh hungrily until he was no more. After their meager meal, the vampire demons dashed off into the distance, never to be heard from again now that their supposed leader was dead.

Above, the dark clouds finally pour rain, dousing the fire and renewing the once dead land with life. Yami leapt down to the balcony where his death could have be made and there waited Keara and Diamond. "It is time." Keara whispered and he nodded. Heba, Aqua and Yugi watched from the doorway, smiling. He stepped forward but paused, turning to hug Keara and then Diamond. Below, demons came from the palace to look upon their new king. Yami looked up tot he sky and saw a hole within the cloud and one bright star gleaming brightly.

_"Remember..."_ His father's voice echoed and he nodded.

"I will." he whispered before giving off a loud roar and the demon roared in reply, gladly accepting Yami as their new king.

And through trials and pains of the heart, the demon kingdom was renewed and the humans and herds came back in flourish. The dried up rivers flowed with life and tree bloomed with fresh vegetation. Plains once grey and desolate was filled with grasses and scattered plants. Everything was brought back to its former glory and now, with Yami as the new king. Yugi was now his mate and was with child. Months passed and soon, the child was born and was ready to be shown as the next heir to the throne.

Yami and Yugi stood upon the balcony, demon from below cheering at the birth of the next heir. Behind, Kaiser, Jou and Aqua smiled before Keara walked in, holding the smaller child in her arms. She smiled to Yami and Yugi before and the demons gave a roar for the new heir and the days to come.

* * *

Zypher: And that's it for the first half of The Demon King Saga. Now we go on with the second. Since I'm not going to really keep The Lion King 1 1/2 as part of the timeline, I'll add it in as a bonus story instead if you want it. So onward to The Lion King 1 and I'll reveal the heir in the next chapter. Aw, heck. I'll reveal him anyway since I made you all wait for this. Ryou is the next heir to the throne which will lead to major plot change but I may change him to a girl for sake of the plot if you want me to. So I'll leaver it up to you. Leave him the same or switch him to a girl is your choice and you have to give it to me in your reviews or I'll stick with him being a boy and try to work out the plot to work properly. But for now, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the second half with The Demon King 2.

Note: And before you ask, Aqua won't be able to claim the throne of the demon kingdom unless Yami and Ryou die. Since that doesn't happen anytime soon, he will be a major/minor character as the story progresses and will show up mildly to occasionally in the second half.


	7. He Lives in You

The Demon King Saga: Part 2

Chapter 7

-

As dawn approached, bringing up a new days, all animals woke from their slumber and started onwards towards the palace.

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Night  
And the spirit of life  
Calling _

_ Oh, oh, iyo  
Mamela  
Oh, oh, iyo  
_

_And a voice  
With the fear of a child  
Answers _

_Oh, oh, iyo  
Oh, mamela  
Oh, oh, iyo _

Above, Diamond watched with a smile before pointing forwards. "Ubukhosi bo khokho. We ndodana ye sizwe sonke."

_  
Wait  
There's no mountain too great  
Oh, oh, iyo  
Hear the words and have faith  
Oh, oh, iyo  
Have faith _

_Hela hey mamela _

At the palace, Keara stood on the balcony, looking up to the sky where she was the image of Atemu looking down upon them all. She smiled as a gentle gust of wind blew past her before giving a gesture and all the animals bowed down for their fallen king.

_He lives in you  
He lives in me  
He watches over  
Everything we see  
Into the water  
Into the truth  
In your reflection  
He lives in you_

Mahaado flies in and bowed before Keara before looking back as Yami and Yugi came out, a bundle held in Yugi's arms. He handed the bundle to Keara and she smiled as she hugged them both before turning back to the assembly of animals and held up the child for all the animals to see and they cheered, Atemu watched from above and smiled, the winds blowing past Yami and Yugi to show his approval. Yami smiled and so did Yugi as he took Yami's hand in his. The wind brushed past the child, catching his attention as he went to bat at the leaves that followed the path of wind. Diamond landed onto the balcony and smiled before bringing out the ceremonial crown and placed it upon the child's head. The animals once again bowed before Keara handed the child back to Yugi who nuzzled him gently.

Off to the side, Jou and Kaiser watched. "Well look at that. A child that a chip right of the old block. And you know who gonna raise him?" Jou questioned. "Uh, his parents?" Jou huffed and conked him over the head. "Well sure his parents if ya ant to get all technical about it but I'm talking about teaching him the finer things in life. Like how to belch." For example, he gave off a belch. "And how to dig for fruits and all the other stuff. It'll be just like old times!" he said. Kaiser nodded with a laugh as he looked back over to the child. "But ya know, he looks kinda like a she to me."

"Really?" Jou took another glance before freezing up. "Its a girl!? Oy!" Jou collapsed in a dead heap and Yami chuckled. "Kaiser. Wake him up. Our child is a boy." he said and Kaiser laughed again before knocking Jou over the head.

-

A couple months passed before Ryou grew in a fine young child. Now, he was ready to venture outside of the palace when he was caught by Aqua. "Whoa there, kiddo. Where do you think you're going in such a hurry today?" he questioned, smiling down to him. He laughed softly as he tried to escape from Aqua. "Hey! Let go!" he said as he wriggled again and Aqua laughed before setting him down. "You know your father and papa won't be happy if you're not careful." he said. Ryou nodded before his attention was drawn to a butterfly that fluttered into the palace and went to pounce after it. Aqua chuckled softly before catching Ryou's tail to stop him. "You know what your father tells you. Accidents can happens and you could get hurt--"

"Hurt or stepped on or lost. I know. I hear that same thing all the time." Ryou said softly as he looked up to Aqua. "And before you go on, stay in sight of the palace at all times and if I see any strangers, don't talk to them and come straight home." Aqua smiled and ruffled Ryou's hair. "Guess my big brother knows how to repeat the rules enough times to engrave it into your head." Ryou laughed softly before Yugi came out to see them. "Mind your father now, Ryou." he said before looking up to Aqua. "And you mind your brother." Aqua snickered softly before nodding. "Alright, alright." he said before looking back to the door to see Mahaado walk in. "Now Ryou, you can go out but remember what the rules are and stay away from the outlands." Yugi said.

Mahaado huffed and crossed his arms. "Yeah. Nothing out there but a bunch of murderous Outsiders." he murmured. Ryou looked up to him curiously. "Yeah, Mahaado's right. And never turn your back on them." Aqua said,

"Why not?"

"Mmm...it's not that important. Now go ahead and play, little one." Aqua said, ushering him off and Ryou laughed softly and nodded before running off. Yami came up to the group not long after Ryou left. "Ryou! Stay on the path I've marked for you!" he called and Yugi chuckled. "Does little Ryou remind you of someone?"

"Huh? What? Who?" Yami questioned as he looked down to Yugi. He chuckled again before pulling Yami down to nuzzle him. "Ryou reminds me a lot of you when you were younger." he said and Yami sighed. "I know and that's the bad part. Remember all the danger we got into back then?" Yugi smirked and changed into his demon form, tackling him down before changing back. "You mean the danger you got us into back then." he said before nuzzling him once more, purring a little. Aqua smiled to the two before heading back inside the palace with Mahaado. After a while, Yami smiled down to him and stood. "He'll be fine. I'm sure of it, Yami, so don't worry so much or else you'll give yourself grey hair." he said before heading back inside the palace. When he was out of earshot, he sighed before looking off to the side.

"Jou. Kaiser. Get over here."

The two peeked out from around the corner before running over to him. "Morning, mon capitan. What's on the agenda today?" Jou asked. "I need you two to watch Ryou. I have a feeling that he might just run off when he's not supposed to." he said. "Ah, alright then. We'll stick to him like honey on Kaiser."

"Hey! It was your fault!"

"I know but I'll never let you live it down which is the beauty of it." Jou said with a laugh and Kaiser huffed before walking off.

Off in the grasslands, Ryou played, cheerfully pouncing after another butterfly he saw. "Come back! I just wanna play!" he called as he continued chasing the butterfly until he landed on a rock that gave him a nice view of the outlands. "So those are the outlands. I wonder what's hanging out there." he murmured before hearing a rustle of the grass behind him and froze as he looked back. The grass slowly parted as he screamed which gained a chain reaction from Kaiser who thought danger was around. Ryou stepped back before yelping as he fell off the rock into a pool. "Ryou! Uncle Kaiser's comin'!" he cried as he ran up and hopped into the water. "Oh geez...well Yami, good news is we found your son. Bad news is we dropped a shapeshifter animal on him." Jou quoted to himself before running up the rock and looked down. Kaiser was looking around, calling for Ryou.

"Uh, Kaiser, let me define the term 'babysitting'!" Jou hissed. "What?" The other said quizzically before looking down and gasped before jumping up and helped Ryou who was coughing up some water. "I'm so sorry, Ryou but you know as the prince of the kingdom, you need to be careful and not run off by yourself!" he said.

"Oh yes! You could've gotten extremely hurt somehow!" Jou said before hopping down to check him over. "Didn't slip a disc, didya? Catch a fever? Get a hangnail?" Kaiser winced. "Oh, those hangnails are quite painful."

"Very painful indeed."

"Um...guys..." Ryou tried to say but they still fretted over him. Jou held a fern over his head. "With your pale skin, don't want you to get a sunburn." Ryou huffed and swatted the branch away. "What?! You wanna look like a lobster!?" Ryou sighed before walking off. "If you guys would just listen..."

Jou was digging in his ear before looking to him. "Sorry, I wasn't listening. You say something, prince?" he asked. Ryou growled a little before looking to them. "I'm not just a prince, you know? I have other things that don't make me a prince." Jou looked to him skeptically. "Really? then what's the other half?" he questioned.

"Well...um...it's..." Ryou stuttered and Jou laughed before turning to Kaiser. "Well while you're trying to figure that question out, time for some eats." Kaiser nodded before ducking into the tiny pool and scrounged up some lake fruits and tossed them over to Jou. "Want some?"

"What is that?" Ryou questioned. "A delicious fruit that we got your father eating in no time." he said cheerfully. Ryou took a sniff before shaking his head. "No, I don't think so." he said as he sat down. "How about you, big guy?" Jou questioned as he looked to Kaiser. He nodded eagerly and Jou tossed one into his mouth. "Good as always but the slimy fruits are the best of a meal." Jou blanched. "My dear friend, that's where you're wrong. The crunchy ones makes the meal."

"Oh no, slimy for me!"

"Crunchy."

"Slimy!"

_"Crunchy!"_

_"Slimy!"_

Ryou snickered before heading off only to stumble down and hill and right into another demon who growled as he looked to him.

-

Zypher: And this is where I shall end it for today. Yeah it's a little bit of a cliffhanger but hey, be happy for there is a new chapter! -gets hits with a tomato- Eww! -wipes it off- Ok, ok...so I left it alone for too long but here's an update and many more are bound to come now that I'm in a Disney mood! So hope you all enjoy and I'll see you later with another chapter.


	8. We are One

The Demon King Saga: Part 2

Chapter 8

* * *

The other growled as he started towards him, causing Ryou to step back. "What are you doing here, little palace demon?" he hissed. He continued to step forward, ready to circle around Ryou but he kept moving from side to side, making the other curious. "What are you doing?" he questioned.

"My father told me to never turn your back on a Outsider." he whispered. The other blinked before laughing. "You always listen to what daddy says?" he questioned and Ryou pouted.

"No!"

"You can't lie! You're daddy's little princess." the demon teased.

"I'm not and I'm not a girl!"

The demon chuckled as he walked off. "Then what's with the hair, princess?" he said before walking onto a rock. "An Outsider doesn't need anybody. I do everything on my own." he spoke, looking back to him. "Really?" Ryou asked as he followed behind him. The supposed rock, of course, wasn't a log but a crocodile who's eye opened at the presence of something on its back. "That's so cool." The other demon took in the praise before freezing up. "Look out!" he called and Ryou turned back just in time to see the crocodile ready to tear into him and quickly jumped out the way before hopping across more crocs as they started waking. They landed on another set of rocks and relaxed. "I think we're safe." he murmured before yelping as the rocks rose up, revealing a huge pile of crocodiles and they hurried off of them, Ryou leaping onto a nearby tree while the outsider jumped ahead.

"H-hey! What about me?!"

"You run while I distract them!" he called back as he continued hopping over the crocodiles. But he lost his footing to one that was diving underwater and fell in. "Augh!" he hissed, breaking the surface and focused on keeping himself above water before looking to see another crocodile coming for him. Ryou hissed as he clawed at one before seeing it get distracted with the others going after the lone demon in the water. Ryou quickly made his move, hopping over crocs and leapt on the jaws that almost grabbed the other and looked to him. "Go now!" he cried and the other nodded as he swam to the log leading up to dry land and ran, Ryou following close behind. Crocodiles still snapped at them as they ran up the branch and Ryou was nearly a goner if he jumped any later but made it safely onto firm ground. He breathed harshly before looking to the other and he started laughing, Ryou joining in not long after before they headed back over the cliff, looking down at the hissing and snapping crocodiles.

"I did it? I did it, didn't I?!" Ryou said cheerfully, blowing a raspberry at the angry reptiles before moving away. "Did you see the size of those teeth!? I mean they were going rawr, rawr, rawr!" Ryou said, chuckling softly but the other only watched him as he rambled on. "And you...you were really brave." Ryou finished as he sat up and the outsider blushed a bit, both unaware of the figure watching from the grass, eyes narrowed. "You were pretty brave yourself, princess. I'm Bakura." the outsider finally introduced and Ryou smiled warmly. "I'm Ryou." he whispered sheepishly and the one in the grass growled even more. To lighten up the mood, Ryou got an idea and tapped Bakura's shoulder before trotting of. "Tag, you're it!" he called but blinked when Bakura didn't move.

He tapped him again. "Come on now, you're it!" he said and Bakura gave him a skeptical look. "Hey, don't you want to play? You run, I tag. It's not that hard." he said and Bakura huffed. _'Oh that's right. He's an outsider.'_ Ryou thought and nodded before growling playfully, getting into a pouncing stance. Bakura's tail flicked a bit before he smirked. "There's my kinda game." he murmured and was about to pounced if another didn't already do it for him. Aqua landed, giving out a mighty roar, glaring down at the smaller demon. Another leapt out, matching his roar, glaring fiercely.

"Vivian."

"Aqua."

Vivian snorted and looked as if she was about to pounce if the shadows of the other demons of the palace didn't show. Ryou shied away as he looked to the others. "Vivian." Yugi hissed. "Yugi." Vivan spat back. "Jounouchi and Kaiser. Now that we're all buddy buddy, _GET OUT OF OUR PALACE GROUNDS!!_" Jou growled and Vivian's gaze snapped to him. "**_Your _**palace grounds!?" she snarled, growling at the shapeshifter and Jou yelped, hiding behind Kaiser. "Be my meat shield!"

"Hey?!"

"These lands belonged to Pegasus!" Vivian spoke and Aqua stepped forward menacingly. "You were banished from these lands. You and your cub. Now get lost, Vivian." he hissed and Bakura moved closer to his mother, looking between the two. Ryou looked up to Aqua, never once seen him so angry before. Vivian laughed humorlessly as she stepped from Bakura's line of sight. "Oh, you haven't met Bakura yet, have you? He alone was hand picked by Pegasus himself to follow in his footsteps and become king, you know. Not you and certainly not you brother." she purred, watching Aqua's expression. Aqua growled, looking down to Bakura and the other flinched at the presence of the other male. Jou laughed as he peeked out from behind Kaiser.

"_Him_? A **_king_**? He's a grey tumbleweed!" he said with a laugh.

"Laugh it up as you wish but he was the last born before we were banished to the Outlands. We have little food...even less water..." Vivian murmured. "And you know the penalty of coming back to these lands." Aqua spoke. "Ah, yes, yes I do. But the young one doesn't." she said and smirked. "But if you need your pound of flesh, here." she whispered, pushing Bakura forward with her tail. He looked back to his mother in horror before gazing up at Aqua. Aqua looked down to him before looking back to Vivian. "Take him and go. We're through here." he said before turning and moved over to Ryou, picking him up. "Ah, but we've barely just begun, Aqua. You'll see." she whispered, chortling darkly and Ryou whimpered, moving closer to Aqua. Vivian huffed before turning her back to them, moving over to Bakura and grabbed him by his tiny wings, lifting him up, which made him wince. Aqua walked off and Ryou peered over his shoulder.

"Bye." he whispered, waving briefly.

"Bye." Bakura replied, also waving back before the two were out of sigh of one another.

* * *

As they got close to the palace, Yugi looked back to Aqua who stopped. "Aqua?" Yugi called. Aqua gave him a look that Yugi knew well and he chuckled softly before nodding as he left with the others, Mahaado flying overhead. Aqua sighed before setting Ryou down on a rock and the smaller demon fiddled with his tail before looking up to Aqua. "Ryou, what were you thinking? You could've been killed out there." he murmured. "But I didn't mean to disobey..." he started but Aqua waved a hand.

"You know your father worries about you. He doesn't want you getting hurt and you know that. And you know I don't want you getting hurt either." Ryou frowned even more as he listened. "You know how Yami is. He doesn't want to lose you. He won't be around for long and he's gonna need you to carry on his legacy. You're a part of the great--"

"--circle of life. I know that. But when father's gone, why can't you take his place? You were second to the throne." Ryou said and he chuckled. "I am but as long as Yami's bloodline runs strong, I can't take the throne. It's confusing but Yami was chosen first to take our father's place." he said. "But still, family lines aside, you have to be careful. As future king..."

"But what if I don't want to be king? It's so boring." Ryou whined.

"Well that's like you're saying you don't want to be a demon. It's in your blood just as your father is and even me. We're all a part of each other." he said and Ryou sighed. Aqua smiled a bit before nudging him off his perch gently with his snout and Ryou gave small 'oof' as he plopped onto the ground. Ryou looked up to the smiling face of Aqua before walking over to him. "As you go through life you'll see there is so much that we don't understand." he murmured, looking up to a nest where a family of birds were, the mother feeding one of the chicks while another jumps out and escaped, trying to fly and only got so far before he was stopped and returned to the nest. Aqua headed off and Ryou followed close behind.

"And the only thing we know is things don't always go the way we planned. But you'll see every day that we'll never turn away when it seems all your dreams come undone." he sung, leaping onto a rock and looked out to a field where a newborn wildebeest is learning how to walk, its mother steering it the right way before it could run off too far. Ryou watched as well before looking up to Aqua. He returned the glance and smiled before leaping off. "We will stand by your side, filled with hope and filled with pride. We are more than we are, we are one." in another area, a family of baboons were grooming each other while below, a family of hippos were enjoying themselves in the water with their newborn.

Ryou watched the happy family before he crossed over the log. "If there's so much I must be can I still just be me, the way I am?" he questioned softly, looking at his reflection in the water as a fish jumped out, splashing him just a bit as Aqua walked past him and leapt onto another branch on the log, watching him. Ryou looked up to him. "Can I trust in my own heart? Or am I just one part of some big plan?" he questioned again. "Even those who are gone are with us as we go on. Your journey has only begun." he whispered, looking up to the sky. "Tears of pain, tears of joy, one thing nothing can destroy is our pride, deep inside, we are one." he said before heading off and Ryou followed close behind as the other demon loped over the field.

Animals watched as they ran across the land, some with their new young. Aqua chuckled as he watched Ryou follow behind him, the younger haven't learned to transform into his true demon form just yet, before moving over to him and scooped him up onto his back and continued on to the palace. "We are one, you and I. We are like the earth and sky, one family under the sun." he spoke as he leapt up onto the stairs leading up to the palace. "All the wisdom to lead, all the courage that you need. You will find when you see, we are one." he spoke a Ryou slid from his back, looking up to the palace and Aqua looked back to him and glanced up to the palace before chuckling softly as he turned to Ryou.

"As long as you live here in the palace, little one, its who you are. You figure it out someday." he said, ruffling Ryou's hair a bit before unfurling his wings and flew up toward the balcony. Ryou watched him before spotting the small chick from earlier, now flying free on his own and smiled. But as the bird flew off into the distance, he frowned again. "I wish I could be that free." he murmured before heading into the palace.

* * *

But not all was happy and carefree for in the Outlands, the demons that were banished from the palace and surrounding grounds were trying to make a living. One small female demon pup was gnawing on an old tree root while another walked towards her. "Bakura, Bakura, Bakura. That's all she ever talks about. Even if he has the same hair, it isn't as if he was Pegasus' son. He was just some runt he picked up to make himself look good." the demon muttered, looking down to the pup and smirked. "Hey, Rebecca. Where's the precious _chosen one_, hmm?" he questioned, watching as she pulled the root taut and scissored his claws, snipping the branch and watched her fly before laughing. Rebecca growled as she stood and walked over to the other, changing back into her mortal form, tail swishing behind her.

"Hey, Siegfried, where Bakura?" she questioned, eyes narrowed.

"I don't care about that little nest head. It's every demon for himself out here! You know that!"

"Of course I know that but Mama's gonna be mad at you for not watching him!" she hissed and Siegfried huffed as he started scratching his head. "Why should I care about the little brat. I should've been the chosen one. I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm good looking...augh! These termites are making my scales crawl!" Siegfried screeched, changing form and scratching himself all over and Rebecca only laughed at his plight. "I could be the chosen one if mother would just give me a chance!" he grumbled and Rebecca smirked. "As if. Try telling that directly to her then."

"Oh I will! Don't think I won't!" he claimed and Rebecca laughed.

"Ok then. Prove me wrong. Here's your chance now." she said, pointing and Siegfried turned around and gulped as he saw Vivian coming back with Bakura in tow.

* * *

Zypher: And there you have it. Another long awaited chapter for you all. Been distracted with new story in a different category that actually has a timeline which means faster updates but I haven't forgotten about my lovelies here. So after another couple wasted months of lacking motivation, I bring to you another TDK update. Might speed these up a bit since we're on the home stretch of the story with a couple more chapters. But for now, enjoy yourselves with this long awaited update and I'll see you soon with another.


	9. My Lullaby

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 9

0

"Ehehe...mother. Hi!" he said as he trotted over to her. "I caught some field mice for dinner, I left them by the...by the..." he began but seeing as she wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to him, he gave up with a sigh. She dropped the younger onto the ground beside Rebecca and she grinned as she looked to Bakura. "Wanna fight?" she questioned as she crouched down. "You're speaking my language." he replied as they two began to tussle while Vivian looked to Sigfried. "You were supposed to be _watching_ him." she whispered darkly and the older gulped.

"Hey, it wasn't his fault. I went off on my own." Bakura said as he looked to his mother, hopping away from Rebecca.

"And you, what were _you_ thinking!" she growled.

"N-nothing!"

"Remember who has made us outsiders!"

"Yami did!"

"Who _killed_ Pegasus!"

"Yami!"

"So what did I tell you about _**them**_?"

"I'm sorry...but he really didn't seem so bad, though." Bakura whispered as he watched the female pace before him, knowing that saying anymore would anger her. "You thought you could be friends with him? And if you were friends with him that Yami would welcome you with open arms! What an idea!" She glowered before something dawned on her and she grinned. "What an idea. Oh you clever, clever little boy. You have that same conniving mind like Pegasus had." she said as she pulled the smaller demon close and kneaded his back softly with sharpened claws, making him wince just slightly.

"You inherited that brilliant mind that made Pegasus so...powerful." she said. Siegfried gave a snort and she glared at him before picking Bakura up and took him into what ended up being their den, which was nothing but a hollowed out termite mound that worked them to the bone to make. She walked over to a hollowed out stump, a single pillow within it, the only luxury the Outsiders had. She had claimed that pillow to belong to Bakura specifically to be used as bedding and no one, except Siegfried, complained to the meager luxury that was given to the successor of Pegasus' rule. She dropped him onto the withered old pillow and he glanced up to her who looked down to him lovingly like a mother would.

"I now see the path to our glorious return to power." she whispered as more demons began to emerge from hiding to listen in on what Vivian had to say. "But I don't want to..." Bakura began before a finger laid over his lips.

"Hush! Hush, my little one. You must be exhausted." she cooed. She walked around the stump, eyes watching him. "Sleep, my little Kura, let your dreams take wing. One day when you're big and strong, you will be a king." she whisperd before walking off. "Goodnight." Bakura whispered.

"Goodnight, my little prince. In the morning, your training intensifies." she murmured before hopping over a few rocks. "I've been exiled, persecuted, left alone with no defense. When I think of what that brute did, I get a little tense." she hissed, baring her claws but she walked on, passing demons and trekking through tunnels of their den. "But I dream a dream so pretty that I don't feel so depressed. 'Cause it soothes my inner demon and it helps me get some rest." she purred, rolling off a rock to land on lower ground.

"The sound of Yami's dying gasp." Siegfried mocked the gasp of Yami's death at their hand before snatching up Rebecca. "His "princess" squealing in my grasp." She growled, kicking the other before leaping from his grasp. "His demon court's loud, mournful cry. That's my lullaby." Vivian spoke, looking down on the exiled. "Now the past I've tried forgetting and my foes I could forgive. Trouble is, I knows it's petty, but I hate to let them _live_." she hissed, slamming a hand on a line of termites making their merry way through the den.

"So you found yourself sombody who'll chase Yami up a tree." Siegfried claimed with a smirk.

"Oh the battle may be bloody, but that kinda works for me." she said, pinching his cheek before shoving him from the mound with a yelp. "The melody of angry growls." she called, sliding down a rock and demons growled in response. "A counterpoint of painful howls," Landing beside Siegfriend's fallen form, she stomped on his tail, making him jump up with a yowl before rubbing the sore spot as Vivian walked on. "A symphony of death, oh my! That's my lullaby."

She walked over to where Bakura laid, now asleep. "Pegasus is gone... but Vivian's still around to love this little lad. Till he learns to be a killer with a lust for being bad!" she whispered, walking from him to claw at the rock wall, grinning softly. Siegfried and Rebecca walked over to him next, demons all aroun watching their soon to be king. Siegfried looking down to Bakura with a sneer. "Sleep, ya little termite...I mean, precious little thing." Rebecca sneered at him before batting him away. "One day when you're big and strong.."

"You will be a king!" Vivian claimed, knocking a few rocks to let a beam of sunlight into the den, shining upon Bakura. "The pounding of the drums of war! The thrill of Kura's mighty roar!" she called, demons fluttering about in uprising. "The joy of vengeance!" Siegfried claimed before growling as Rebecca landed in front of him.

"Testify!" she cried.

"I can hear the cheering!"

"Kura, what a guy!" Both spoke, Siegfried less enthused than the smaller. "Payback time is nearing and then our flag will fly, against a blood-red sky!" Vivian hissed, breaking through the hole in the mound before climbing out to stand on top of the mound. "That's my lullaby!" she cried before cackling with evil glee, their plan to soon come to fruition the moment Bakura was all grown up.

0

Diamond sighed as she looked at two new sketches on her wall if wisdom as she called it. "Oh Atemu, Ryou grows more beautiful each day. Soon he'll become a king that rivals all in beauty and intelligence. But Bakura, he grows more stronger and his hatred grows the more evil Vivian puts into his heart. Oh I worry for the future of these two." she murmured, etching a dark crown over the demon resembling Bakura. A soft gust of wind blew past and she looked up in question. "You have a plan in mind?" she asked a gourd fell, cracking in half. She picked up the halves and looked back to the wall, contemplating what he wanted her to see.

"Bakura...and Ryou...together?" she whispered, clicking the two halves together before giving a snort. "Are you mad, man! This has to be the craziest, cooked up thing you could come up with! You been up there so long, your head is in the clouds!" she cried before a harsh wind blew, rustling her hair and she pouted. "Oh fine! I'll go along with it but you better be right about this, Atemu." she said, looking up the sky before deciding it would be good to tell Keara of what Atemu had in mind for them to accomplish.

0

A few months later, Vivian smiled at her hard work, walking around the older form of Bakura who stood stoic and proud. "Nice...very nice. You have the very same blackness in your soul that Pegasus had. Now, what is your destiny?"

"I will avenge Pegasus and take his place in the Pridelands."

"Yes, and what have I taught you in these past months?"

"That Yami and anyone associated with him is my enemy."

"Yes! And what will you do to him?"

"I will kill him!"

Vivian grinned at the dark response and nodded. "You are ready, my son."

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At the palace, Ryou stepped out into the courtyard where a few demons waited and watched as he descended down the stairs, making soft compliments and smiled softly. Yami stood at the bottom, a look on his face that Aqua caught and he nudged him. "Be good." he whispered and he snuffed. Mahaado landed and smiled as he looked to the prince and Diamond nodded her consent as she watched him. Yugi stepped up beside Yami, taking a hold of his hand and kissed it softly before walking over to Ryou and hugged him. "You'll do fine, Ryou." he murmured. Ryou nodded before looking over to Yami. "Now dad, you have to promise I can do this on my own. Promise?"

Yami blinked before getting a pointed look from both Yugi and Aqua and he nodded. "Alright, I promise." he said and Ryou smiled as he walked over to him and gave him a hug before heading off, looking for a suitable hunt. He found a good herd and looked back to them before flying off after changing form. Jou and Kaiser cried tears of joy as they watched while Yami walked over to the end of the courtyard. The two shapeshifters walked over to the king's side and he looked back to make sure that no one was watching before kneeling down to them.

"Make sure he doesn't get hurt."

They blinked before grinning and nodded before casually leaving the palace grounds without anyone figuring out their intentions before bolting off. In the grasslands, Ryou ducked down into the tall grass after landing and slowly prowled towards the herd of antelope. But a twig snapped under his claw which cause the herd to become alert and ran off. He huffed before bolting off to follow the herd, a silver streak on the plains as he chased after them. Not far in the old stomping grounds of the vampire demons, Siegfried and Rebecca, both considerably older, walked in. Siegfried gave a huff as he looked about. "This place seems much creepier since the vampire demons left." he murmured. "Not that I'm scared or anything." he added haughtily when Rebecca gave him a glance before hopping down. Steam rising from a geyser made him jump and he followed behind the other demon.

"I don't even know the reason we're here." he muttered while Rebecca placed two sticks of dry wood by a vent. "I mean if Bakura's so special, why does he need us? I didn't even get a chance to prove myself!" he grumbled before yelping as the end of his tail was burned from steam from the vent he sat too close to. He ran over to where Rebecca sat and she only rolled her eyes before the vent where the kindling was erupted, lighting the kindling aflame and she grinned. "There." She grabbed her before stepping of and looked back to Siegfried. "Well come on! Ryou has started his hunt!" she growled. He grumbled as he grabbed his stick but looked into the vent curiously only to be met with hot flames and steam. "Hot!" he screeched but only laughed it off as he ran off after Rebecca as the two headed for the plains.

In the very same plains, Jou and Kaiser were hot on Ryou's trail, sneaking through tail grasses and using trees for cover. While Kaiser took his place behind some rocks, Jou, as a small bird, took a look around. "Tango-Charley-Alpha. What's your position?" he asked. "Uhm, hmm. Upright, head turned slightly, tail wagging." Kaiser replied, said tail wagging as he looked about. Jou slapped his forehead. "Why do I bother sometimes..." he muttered before taking another look around and spotted Ryou. "Ah-ha. Target sighted." he hummed before nodding to Kaiser and they both were on the move once more. Ryou began once more once he caught sight of the antelope. He took careful steps, watching the rocky ground he was on but his hind leg kicked a rock, causing them to become alert and ran off once more. He growled as he got ready and charged after them. But sadly, the two shapeshifters were right in their path and they yelped as they ducked to avoid getting trampled.

"This must be where the deer and the antelope play!" Jou joked as the dust cleared and they sat up once more before turning and yelped again when they say Ryou standing there. "Jou, Kaiser. Why are you two here?" he questioned with a narrowed gaze. "Well, hehe...we were just looking for some new decoration. An animal pelt for the den, some flowers, a little potpourri..." he tried but Ryou huffed. "Dad sent you didn't he? I knew it, he lied to me." he said with a sigh.

"He didn't lie, he just didn't want you to get hurt." Jou tried to reason.

"No! He thinks I can't do this on my own!" he growled before hopping over them. "I wil do this on my own! Away from the Pridelands!" Jou gasped before they ran after him into the long grass once more. "Wait, Ryou! Ryou!" But there was no sight of him and he groaned. "Ugh, we lost him again! Someone needs to get a bell for this kid!" he huffed before he told Kaiser to split up in hopes to find the demon prince before he could get himself into trouble. The prince in question passed the border between the Pridelands and the Outlands and sighed softly as he looked back. He grunted softly before running off to follow the herd but to his misfortune, Rebecca and Siegfried spotted him.

"There he is, let's go!" Rebecca whispered before running off, lighting the dry grass on fire with the kindling. Siegfried leapt up on another end of the plains and began to light some more of the grass. "Roasty toasty demon, roasty toasy demon." he said and cackled softly before sniffing the air. "Hmm, is it me or is it hot here?" he mumbled before jumping as he realized he made a ring of fire around him and blew out the flame on his tail. "Come on, you ass." Rebecca growled as she dragged him off. Ryou found the herd and was ready to make his move when they began to move once again. He huffed before chasing after them but slid to a halt when they started coming back and the rise of flames over the horizon. He gasped before running off along with the herd of antelope and the fluttering of birds. From a knoll where they could watch, Bakura and Vivian sat.

"The plan is in motion now...go!" she hissed and Bakura changed before heading down into the burning plains. Ryou panted as he looked about in panic. He knew it would be better to fly but the smoke was already covering the sky in inky black and would make it difficult for him to navigate. It was best for him to stay low to avoid inhaling too much smoke in the process. Back at the palace, Yami was pacing while Mahaado tried to reassure the king. "Come now, Yami. Ryou will be alright." he said.

Yami gave a sigh as he looked to him but then his eyes widened as he saw the smoke on the horizon. "No. Mahaado!"

"On it!" he said before taking for the skies with Yami right behind him. Yugi saw this before calling Aqua and followed behind them.

Ryou coughed, feeling that his plan was a bad idea as he was inhaling more smoke down on the ground. But his salvation was in the form of a rocky hill that was above the smoke cover. He ran for it before leaping up, using his wings to assist him over the ledge. He coughed some more before collapsing. All was silent before a figure appeared from the smoke and looked down to him. A soft growl emerged from the other before revealing himself to be Bakura. He gave a look down to the other before looking to the fire that was slowly growing out of control and lifted Ryou onto his back before running off. He came across a steep cliff leading down into a waterhole and growled, feeling the flames advancing closer to them, before running down, eventually losing his footing and tumbled down into the water. He lost his hold on Ryou, who begun to sink, but didn't allow him to get any farther as he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and brought him back to the surface.

He swam to the shore and pulled him up, shaking off soaking wet fur as Ryou cough and began to regain consciousness. From above, being an agile flyer, Mahaado reached the area where the two were before Yami and gasped before turning back to tell what he saw. He looked around blearily before looking to Bakura. "Where am I?" he asked. "You're safe...back in the Pridelands." he repled. "The Pridelands...no." he whispered before growling as he stood and glared at the other demon. "Who do you think you are!"

"Tch, I think I'm the person who just save your hide from a fire!" Bakura snapped. "I had everything under control." Ryou hissed. "Sure you did. Not from where I was standing." Ryou growled as he began to walk off but Bakura leapt in front of him. He moved the other way but Bakura only followed and Ryou did what he could to get away from the other demon without turning his back to him. "What are you doing?" Bakura questioned and those familiar words sparked something in Ryou's memory as he took a closer look at the shaggy furred demon. "Bakura?"

He blinked before taking a closer look at the other but the name he was about to speak was spoke by someone else. "Ryou!" Yami called as he landed before them and snarled at Bakura. Yugi landed not long after and moved over to Ryou's side. "Oh, Ryou. I'm glad you're alright." he whispered. He smiled down to his father before looking to Yami. "Dad, you broke your promise to me."

"And I'm glad I did. I could've lost you. No more hunts for you, not ever." he said with finality. "That's not fair. I was doing just fine. Before Bakura..." Ryou began before Yami's eyes narrowed. "Bakura..." he growled and Bakura responded with a snarl of his own. "Hold on! You! How dare you save the king's son?" Diamond called from her spot and Yami blinked, looking back to her before glancing to Bakura. "You saved him. But why?"

"I did cause I humbly ask to join your court."

"Not likely. You were banished with the rest of the outsiders." Yami growled.

"I have left them and became a rogue. Judge me as you wish or shall you blame me for a crime I didn't commit?" Bakura whispered as he watched him. Yami growled as he paced, trying to contemplate the choice given to him. "Yami, you owe him your son's life." Yugi whispered and Mahaado tsked. "Royal protocol says that debts should always be paid but for him, I'm sure we can make an exception." he murmured. Yami looked to Mahaado and considered the idea before shaking his head. "My father's laws shall reign for now. I'll reserve judgement until we see who you really are." he said as he looked to Bakura. He nodded, smiling a little as he glanced to Ryou who returned the smile before the pack of demons made their way back to the palace. Bakura trailing behind them and smirked a little as phase one of the plan succeeded.

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Zypher: Well, this has been collecting dust. Thank you Lion King 3D to remind me that I still need to get this done like everything else. Well here's another chapter and hoped you enjoyed and I'll be back later with another.


	10. In Upendi

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 10

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Once they reached the palace, the demons all started to head inside for the night and Bakura looked to the wide doors leading inside before making his way towards the door. But Yami from where he stood saw this and snarled as he ran towards him, warding him off before heading inside. Ryou, who breached the last stair up, saw this and frowned as he watched as Bakura made himself at home in the shadows of a pillar, leaning against it as he shifted back. He walked over to him and called out to him softly to get his attention. "Thanks for saving me, Bakura."

He looked up to him and gave a snort. "What kind of hunter are you? You almost got killed out there." he murmured.

Ryou huffed as he crossed his arms. "You got something to say about that?"

"Yeah, I'm saying that you wouldn't last three days out there alone after that performance." he replied smugly. "Oh, and you think you can teach me?" Ryou questioned. Bakura gave a chuckle. "Well yeah." he said. "Ryou!" Yami called from inside and Ryou sighed before looking to Bakura. "Alright, impress me. We start at dawn." he said before making his way into the palace. Bakura smirked as he watched him before looking up to the dark skies. "I'll look forward to it."

From afar, Vivian and Siegfried watched and Siegfried snorted. "He let him go! How can he let him go!" he snarled and Vivian flicked an ear. "Hush, the fire rescue worked perfectly and Yami fell for it. And the closer he gets to the son, the closer he gets to the king." she said. "And once he gets Yami alone..." she said before giving a hiss, slashing at the branch behind Siegfried who ducked just in time from getting a nasty gash. He gulped and nodded before the two returned to their den in the outlands before they could be spotted.

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Yami whimpered a little in his slumber as a nightmare overtook him during the night, being reminded of his father's death. He was running towards the cliff where Atemu hung from, calling his name. "Father! Father!"

"Yami, help me!"

He reached the cliff and went to reach for him but a dark laugh came from above and he turned, seeing the shadowed form of Pegasus there as a full demon walking towards him. "Please, help me!" Atemu hissed and Yami continued to reach towards him. But he winced as claws dug into his back, holding him from reaching Atemu. "Yami!" he as he fell into the ranpaging herd below. "Noooo!" Yami cried before glaring at Pegasus. "Trust me..." he whispered before laughing once more before the shadows lifted, revealing not Pegasus but Bakura there, laughing. He shoved him off the cliff and he roared in anguish as he fell too just like his father and he shot up in a cold sweat in bed after impacting the ground in his dream, rubbing his face before looking down to make sure he didn't wake Yugi.

He gave a soft sigh before closing his eyes and drifted back off to sleep, hoping that nothing that he envisioned comes to pass.

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Early dawn approached and Yami stepped out of the palace, yawning softly and running a hand through his hair lightly. Aqua wasn't far behind him and both changed before taking off for the nearest watering hole near the palace. They landed and Aqua stretched some while Yami went to get a drink. Hidden behind a rock, Bakura watched and eyes narrowed as he crouched, claws kneading into the ground and was ready to pounced if the silver form of Ryou didn't land before him. "Morning! I'm ready for my first lesson." he said with a smile. Bakura blinked before looking past him fleetingly and growled when he saw the two targets were gone. "Hey, what's wrong?" Ryou asked. "Nothing." he muttered before Ryou led him off for his first lesson of the morning.

In the grasslands, Bakura huffed as he laid down on his stomach while Ryou tried to sneak up on him. Problem was Bakura could hear his every step and he did a mental count in his head before ducking as the smaller demon tried to pounce on him and missed. He stood and walked over to Ryou and looked down to him. He chuckled absentmindedly. "You could hear me, huh?"

"Yeah, a lot." Bakura replied before stepping over him. "You're breathing too hard. You need to relax, feel the earth under your claws so it doesn't shift and make a lot of noise." he explained before looking up as he heard a flock of birds flying towards the hill and grinned. "Watch and learn from the master." he said before stalking up the hill. He loped up the incline and with a snarl, almost pounced on Jou who was foraging for some fruit on the hill. He yelped and scooted back while Bakura slid to a stop before he could collide with the other. "Please, don't eat me...I-I never met your tyrant...I mean, Pegasus...Pegasus, what a hell of a guy, little scary but..." he rambled until Ryou joined them and blinked.

"Jou, what are you doing up here?"

"Ok, Ryou, for once, we're not following you. This here is the best place to find the best underground fruit in the Pridelands. Of course you don't call for a reservation and this happens," he said as he pointed to the large flock of birds invading the site. "Come on, get out here, ya moochers!" he said as he tried to shoo the birds away only for one to fly up and give him a glare before pecking his nose and made him wince. "Oh jeez, that hurts!" he grumbled, rubbing his nose. Not far, Kaiser was barking as he tried to charge the birds out but all they did was fly up only to land back where they were. He huffed and flopped over, birds making their perch on him. "Uh, Jou, I'm getting tired. Maybe I need to lose a few." he mumbled and Jou grunted as he walked over and shooed the birds off his friend. Kaiser looked up, seeing Ryou and Bakura trot over to them and grinned.

"Hey, how about we ask him for some help?"

"Oh yeah," Jou replied, flicking the last bird from Kaiser's tail. "Let's ask the vicious Outsider for some help...wait...I got an idea. What if he helps." He stood and looked to Bakura. Kaiser nodded for a moment before blinking. "What?" Jou chuckled and nodded to the other. "Wanna lend a voice?" Bakura looked down to him with a skeptical look. "You know, roar. Work with me."

"Like this." Ryou said before roaring, making some of the birds fly off. "There we go! Come on, give us another!" Jou said as he hopped onto Kaiser's back. Bakura still didn't get a thing that was going on but roared as well, making more birds fly off. "Woohoo! That's the ticket!" Jou cheered as Kaiser galloped off as more birds began flying off. Ryou and Bakura followed behind them and the older looked to Ryou questioningly. "I don't get it. What's the point of this training?"

"Training? This is just for fun!" Ryou replied.

"Fun?" he murmured softly.

"Sheesh, man. You need to get out more. We're talking fun!" Jou said, nabbing a bird by the legs and smirked at it before tossing it up into the air. "Yeehaw!"

Bakura blinked before getting the idea and started to join the merriment, running through a row of rocks and Bakura gave a cheer before the four noticed the herd of rhinos ahead and quickly skidded to a stop before colliding with them. The birds that they ran off were sitting on their backs and smirked before the rhinos snorted and they yelped before running off the other way as the rhinos charged after them. They ran around the bend before taking shelter in a small crevice in the rocks and waited for the rhinos to pass. Bakura laughed heartily. "That's was a blast!" he said and the other chuckled before Jou ruffled his hair. "Hey!" Bakura protested. "You're ok, kid...you're ok." he said and Bakura smiled a little, knowing that it was another achievement considering who he was.

They squeezed out, Jou and Kaiser getting out first before Ryou and Bakura but because of the small space, their snouts met and Ryou moved away shyly. They squeezed out and chuckled a little, intrigued by the new thoughts coming to mind before they were brought from said thoughts when Jou called out to them. "Hey, you two coming or what?" They nodded before following the two shapeshifters. They enjoyed the rest of the day with Jou and Kaiser before Ryou suggested they go stargazing and he agreed despite never done it before. So under the shade of a tree, they looked up to the sky, chuckling softly while Ryou pointed out stars.

"Hey look at that one. Looks like a little rabbit. See the fluffy tail?" he said and Bakura nodded. "Oh, look at that. Looks like two lions fighting over a scrap of meat." he said with a soft laugh and Ryou made a little grimace before nodding. "I never played this before." he murmured and Ryou looked to him in surprise. "Never? I watched the stars with father or Aqua all the time when I was little. Father told me that up there, the great kings of the past are up there." he said. Bakura hummed softly as he looked to the sky. "You think...Pegasus is up there?" he questioned softly as he looked to Ryou. He frowned a bit and Bakura sighed as he moved to get up, Ryou sitting up as well and watched the other.

"Well, Pegasus wasn't my father but...he's a part of me." he said. Ryou moved to stand and walk over to him, taking a seat beside him. "Father told me...that Pegasus had a darkness he couldn't escape, causing him to make so many bad decisions." he whispered. Bakura flicked his tail as he looked down. "Maybe there's a hidden darkness within me too." Ryou looked to him before resting a claw over Bakura's and gently nuzzled him under his chin. "I don't think so" he whispered.

From afar, Yami watched before giving a sigh as he looked up. "Father...I don't know what to do about him. Bakura's one of them...Pegasus' heir...what should I do..." he murmured. "Yami?" A voice called and he turned to see Yugi land down beside him. He let out a breath as he looked back to the sky. "I was seeking council from the great kings."

"And what did they have to say?"

"Nothing. Silent as stars. Father would never..."

"Oh Yami, you want so much to follow the path you're expected to. Maybe Bakura doesn't." Yugi said. "Wait...how do you-" Yami began and went quiet as a finger landed on his lips. "I can see just as well as you can. Get to know him a little and you might be surprised at what you learn in the end." Yugi said with a soft smile before walking off. Yami looked down to the two and was hesistant for a moment before following his lover back to the palace. Ryou continued to nuzzle Bakura to put him at ease but he coughed and stepped back, making Ryou frown.

"Bakura...what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Bakura..."

Bakura sighed, rubbing his arm lightly. "It's just...I've be trained to...nevermind. I gotta go." he muttered as he stood and began to walk off. "Bakura, wait..." Ryou called and he turned back to him, seeing the saddened gleam in his eyes. He was tempted to walk back over to the young demon but shook his head as he was about to walk off but halted as a hand was lifted up in front of his face. "And where do you think you're going?" Diamond questioned from the grass. "Uh, nowhere..." Bakura replied. "Hah! That's what you think!" she said as she hopped up from her hiding spot and smirked before ducking down back into the grasses and slipped past Bakura.

"Who the hell was that?" he asked incredulously.

"Um, a friend of the family." Ryou said as he trotted over to him. Bakura gave a snort before feeling a weight on his back and turned to see Diamond sitting there, fiddling with his tail. "Follow me now. Little ol me knows the way!" she said before hopping off and he blinked. "The way to where?" Ryou shrugged with a soft laugh. "You follow, you'll see, little one!" she called from a high cliff, vine in hand before swinging from the cliff and Ryou nudged Bakura before following after her. "Come on, Bakura! Let's go see!" he called and still finding everything odd, he still followed behind Ryou. Soon, they reached an alcove and they looked around. "Where is she taking us?" From above, Keara smiled as she looked to them.

"To a special place in your heart...in Upendi." she spoke before pressing their snouts together and sent them on their way.

"There's a place where the crazy moon makes the monkeys sing and the baboons swoon and the sultry scent of the lotus bloom will carry you away." Diamond sang as she hovered on the back of the large leaf acting as a boat. She took a lotus bloom and held it down to them, Ryou taking a sniff and so did Bakura but he sneezed instead, making Ryou chuckle. "Where the hippos swing from the jungle vines and the rhino rhumba in a conga line and the pink flamingoes are intertwined as the stars come out to play." she continued before hopping off only for Keara to take her place.

"In Upendi, where the passionfruit grows sweet. And it's so divine that you lose your mind as it sweeps you off your feet." Keara hummed, grabbing two passionfruits and held one to Ryou who ate it but when offered to Bakura, he declined. "In Upendi, without a worry or a care. It just takes two to make it true, your heart will lead you there." She grabbed a red leaf this time, smirking a little before placing it over Bakura's head and he grunted while Ryou laughed. He removed the leaf while Ryou looked up to Keara. "Where are we heading?" His eyes were covered and he giggled a little when a finger dug in his ear. "No place that you don't take with you, young one."

As the reached another waterfall, Keara hopped off as they fell. "You better watch your step 'cause the path is steep, better hold your breath cause the water's deep." The two demons landed in a pool and Diamond chuckled as she plled a vine, letting them out through a door at the bottom. "It's a long way down over Lovers' Leap but falling's half the fun!"

"In Upendi, where the passionfruit grows sweet." She sung as a few passionfruits came from the tree, landing in Bakura's maw and he tried to swallow them all but couldn't. Ryou caught two before seeing the trouble the other was in and kissed his cheek, causing him to swallow in surprise but let out a relieved breath. "And it's so divine that you lose your mind as it sweeps you off your feet." she continued, bouncing a fruit off to a field of flowers which were actually butterflies while animals walked in conga line on the field as well. "In Upendi, without a worry or a care. It just takes two to make it true, your heart will take you there."

"You can beat the bush like there's no tomorrow. From Tanganyika to Kilimanjaro but you'll find Upendi wherever you are, oh underneath the sun." Keara lilted. "Upendi, it means love, doesn't it?" Ryou asked and Keara grinned. "Welcome to Upendi!"

The two were on a fountain now, watching pairs of animals walk by while Diamond tossed passionfruit to them as they leapt into the river before them, Keara standing by her side watching with a smile. "In Upendi, where the passionfruit grows sweet. And it's so divine that you lose your mind as it sweeps you off your feet." Ryou nudged Bakura again as they both dove off their makeshift boat and jumped out, joining the line and followed the example of the other animals. "In Upendi, without a worry or a care. It just takes two to make it true. Your heart will take you there!"

The two surfed on the current before leaping off and was taken down a gentle gust with a leaf acting as a parachute, taking them back down to the ground and once they landed, the two were in a lighter mood as they walked back to the palace, humming the tune softly and singing as they walked, back in human form and holding hands as they walked. When they reached the palace, Bakura looked up to the large doors and then to Ryou. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ryou gave a wistful sigh at the day that past, smiling a bit, before walking inside while Bakura went to take his usual sleep spot by a pillar. Yami watched Ryou as he walked in before looking over to Bakura. He let out a breath before stepping over to him. "Hey, it's pretty cold out tonight. Come on inside so you don't catch a bug." he said and Bakura looked to him before standing. "Thanks." he murmured and Yami gave a nod before heading back inside and Bakura went to follow. But from her spot, Rebecca watched and frowned.

"Come on, Bakura, get him. You have him!" she hissed. She continued to watch with trepidation and seeing that he didn't attack the king when he had the opening, she growled before running off back to the Outlands to report to Vivian.


	11. Not One of Us

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 11

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A roar was heard as Vivian looked to Rebecca. "Are you sure?" she hissed and she nodded. "Yes, I saw every little thing with my own eyes." Vivian growled again as she walked off. "No...Bakura will not betray us..." she growled, knowing that she will not lose the edge from months of training on Pegasus' heir to a little thing such as love.

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Early the next morning, Bakura stepped out of the palace and walked over to the top of the staircase and sighed. "I got to tell him today...but where do I start..." he murmured to himself before letting out a breath. "Ryou, Vivian had a plot...and I was part of it...but I don't want to be anymore...cause I love you." he recited and groaned softly. "He'll never believe me. He isn't that gullible." He looked back to the door before making his way back. "But I have to try." When he walked inside, he called for Ryou who came walking up to him. "I have to talk to you."

"No, Ryou, I don't want you talking to him." Yami spoke as he stepped up with Aqua beside him. "We'll talk to him." he said and Ryou, at first was afraid of the worse, but hearing his words eased his thoughts before the three left. He watched them go and hoped for the best. The three headed out into the savannah and towards the edges of where the brush fire was, along the way, Bakura learned the truth about Pegasus and his doings before his birth. "He just couldn't let go of the darkness inside off him, and that ultimately led to his downfall." Aqua finished and Bakura sighed.

"I never heard the story of Pegasus told this way." he murmured. "He really was a killer, huh?"

Yami frowned and looked away from him and around the destroyed area from the fire. "Fire's a killer, but sometimes, what's left behind from a previous generation will grow better than before." he said, swiping a foot over the ground and reveal a small sprout that was beginning to grow. "If given the chance, of course." A dark laughter was heard and they looked up, Bakura with a worried gleam in his eye, knowing just who would be around while they were vulnerable. Demons began to emerge from the smog, growling viciously before Vivian revealed herself, glaring at him. "Why Yami, what are you doing out here with your brother...alone?" she sneered.

"Vivian." he growled, changing forms and ready for the ambush should it be made. "Well done, Bakura. Just as we planned." she spoke and Aqua glared at the other. "You..."

"I had nothing to do with this!" Bakura said in defense.

"Attack!"

Siegfried went in first, lunging for Yami but was batted away easily. The other Outsiders joined in the fray, biting and clawing at Yami and Aqua as they tried to fight them off. "No!" Bakura hissed as he jumped in, batting a few of the demons away only to be kicked and collided with a rock. He groaned softly as he was dazed while the demons managed to knocked Yami and Aqua down in the ravine and Vivian watched from above. "Yes, kill them! Kill them both!" she hissed and Rebecca leapt in with a snarl. "Remember your training! Attack as a unit!" she called while Yami and Aqua ran for the dammed off section of the ravine, knowing flight would be useless with a pursuit like this and would rather keep the use of their wings instead of losing them and be in a horrible situation like their father before.

They leapt on creaking logs as the ascended the wall, one falling down behind Aqua and caused the others to halt their pursuit and watched. "Yami! Aqua!" Bakura called as he appeared at a ledge at the top of the ravine and Vivian smirked. "Get them, Bakura." he called and he growled before running off to find lower ground to help them. Siegfried, not wanting to wait any longer, began to follow. "I'll do it for you, mother!" he said as he chased after the two. "Are you watching, mother! I'm doing it for you...and for me..." he hissed, eventually reaching Yami and reached out with a claw, the nail biting into his leg and he hissed as he looked back. "Yami!" Aqua called.

"Keep going!" he yelled. But to Siegfried's misfortune, the withered log beneath his feet snapped, causing him to lose his hold and his balance as he fell along with a few logs, one impacting his side hard as he fell. "No, Siegfried!" Vivian cried as they could only watched in horror as Yami and Aqua climbed further, another broken log landing on Siegfried who was unable to escape from where he was pinned and yelped. After the collapse died off, Bakura finally reached the ravine floor and moved over to the logs, pulling one away and started digging through only to be shoved aside by a frantic Vivian as she searched for Siegfried in the debris. After clearing a few more logs, she spotted him and gasped. Siegfried coughed and looked up to her with a withered glance. "I'm sorry, mother...I tried..." he whispered.

"Shh, hush now..." she whispered, reaching down and caressed his cheek soft and he smiled once more before drawing his last breath. Vivian was silent as Rebecca moved up beside her to see her brother's silent form.

"Siegfried..."

0

Yami, with Aqua's assistance, limped back to the Pridelands and from a distance, Ryou saw them and gasped. "Mahaado! Mahaado, I need your help!" he called as he ran for them. Mahaado, along with Jou and Kaiser, saw them and wasn't far behind the smaller demon. Ryou reached then and gently nuzzled Yami. "What happened, father?" he whispered. "Bakura...ambushed..." he whispered as he winced and fell from his place on Aqua's back. Ryou stepped back and shook his head defiantly. "No..." Mahaado reached them and with help from Kaiser, pulled Yami onto his back while Kaiser took Aqua onto his and they made their way back to the palace to tend to the wounds the two took from the outsider demons.

Back in the ravine, Vivian mourned her dead son. "Pegasus, watch over my dear Siegfried." she whisperd before turning, sending a scathing glare at Bakura who looked away. She stomped over to him, anger boiling in her blood. "You..." she hissed as slapped him across the face, claws nicking over his eye and he gave a hiss but didn't falter. "What were you thinking!"

"I didn't mean to...it wasn't my fault...I did nothing..." he growled as he looked to her. "Exactly! You betrayed your pride and in turn, betrayed Pegasus!" she roared. "I want nothing more to do with him!" he hissed. "You can't escape what fate has led you to! You killed Siegfried!"

"No."

"Yes! You killed your own brother!"

"No" Bakura roared as he took off, demons snapping at his heels as he ran and Vivian gritted her teeth. "Yami's kindness has corrupted him...but he is weak now along with his brother. Now is the time to attack and take what's rightfully ours...by force!" she hissed, getting a response from the demons and she grinned, knowing that she has been hurt for the last time and it was time to return that pain tenfold upon the one who has hurt her.

0

"Father please, Bakura couldn't have done this to you. He would never think to do such a thing." Ryou whispered before murmured whispers among animal and demon were heard and they looked up to see Bakura walking back. "Bakura!" Ryou said, relieved as he ran for the steps only to be stopped by Yami who gave a hiss as he looked down to him. "Bakura! Let me at him, let me at him!" Jou hissed as looked to Kaiser. "Hold me back!"

"Alright!" Kaiser replied, holding onto his shirt.

"Let me at him, I'll tear his face off!"

"Ok!"

Jou stumbled forward as he was released and he huffed. "You're missing the context here, Kaiser." he muttered. "Shut up!" Kaiser said with a pout. Bakura made his way up the staircase but stoppe halfway as Yami addressed him. "Why have you come back?"

"Yami, I had nothing to do with this. I didn't even-" he began but was silenced once more. "You don't belong here anymore." Yami hissed. "Please, I ask for your fiorgiveness." Bakura whispered. "Please, father, just listen to him!" Ryou cried. "Hush! When you came here, you ask for judgement and I will pass it now..." he whispered Bakura stepped back as he watched him, the cacophony of animals and demons whispering ill of him. "Exile!"

"NO!"

Bakura flinched as he heard the animals began to stomp and snort in anger, ready to drive him off and he began stepping back as gazelles bared their horns. "Bakura!" Ryou cried as he tried to run towaards him only for a wing to block him. "Deception...Disgrace...Evil as plain as the scar on his face." They chanted.

"Deception! (An outrage!) Disgrace! (For shame!)"

"He asked for trouble the moment he came." One whispered as Bakura came across rattlesnakes that began to try and bite at his feet and he jumped over them as he started running from the angered animals and demons. "Deception! (An outrage!) Disgrace! (For shame!)" Zebras reared, gazelles headbutted and ostriches pecked at him as he ran pass, monkeys tossed stones and he could only take the abuse as he continued to run from the Pridelands.

"He asked for trouble the moment he came."

Yami watched from the balcony as birds flew overhead, flying down towards Bakura's running form and pecked at him, urging him to get out faster. "Born in grief, raised in hate. Helpless to defy his fate. Let him run, let him live. But do not forget what we cannot forgive!"

He stopped, panting softly as he landed in the waters parted the Pridelands from the Outlands and looked back, seeing animal and demon chanting still while Yami and Aqua overseered to make sure he was gone for good. "And he is not one of us. He has never been one of us. He is not part of us, not our kind." He looked down, seeing his reflection shift to that of Pegasus and he hissed as he ran off once more. Ryou slipped past the wing and tried once more to follow only to be blocked once more by Mahaado and Jou. He could only look on as Bakura was hounded farther from what he could've called home.

"Someone once lied to us. Now we're not so blind. For we knew he would do what he's done and we know that he'll never be one of us."

"He is not one of us..."

"Deception..."

"Disgrace..."

Bakura continued to walk on, taking one last glance back before he continued on, now truly a rogue with no pride to return to.

"Deception ..."

"Disgrace..."

Ryou watched as he disappeared into the desert since returning to the Outlands was sure death from Vivian and looked down in sorrow._ 'And there was so much I wanted to tell him.'_ he thought quietly to himself.

"Deception..."

Diamond tsked as she and Keara watched before looking to her. "What now?" she asked. "We've done our part. It's up to them to recitfy this before this land is subjected to darkness once more." Diamond nodded before the two took off.


	12. Love Will Find a Way

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 12

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Back at the palace, Ryou walked up to his father and Aqua. "Please, father, reconsider." he begged but he remained stoic. "You will not leave the palace without an escort from now on." Yami said. "Father, this isn't fair!"

"He used you to get to me and Aqua!"

"No he didn't! He loves me for me!"

"Because you are my son! You will not leave the palace! You will be under my watchful eye...away from him." he said as he looked to Ryou. "You don't know him like I do!" Ryou hissed. "I know that he's following in Pegasus' footsteps...and I need to follow in my father's." Yami spoke and Ryou growled as he stepped back from him. "You will never be like Atemu!" he growled before running off into the palace, sobbing softly and Yami watched him go, appalled at his words. Ryou went into his room, falling onto his bed as he cried but soon, the tears subsided as he looked to the window. He looked back to the door to make sure no one has followed before getting up and went to it. He opened the latch silently and slipped out, closing the window behind him before flying down to the ground and shifted form. He ran off, following Bakura's path and sticking to the high grasses so he wouldn't be spotted easily thanks to his silver pelt.

Once he got past the river, he began his search. "Bakura..." he called as he continued to look around before giving a sigh as he leapt into the water but when he looked down, he was shocked at what he saw. His reflection was only half of him, as if something was missing. He frowned before he continued on, eventually coming up to the rows of rocks where they hid from the rhinos and looked inside. But when he saw no sign of the other demon, he sighed, a tear slipping down his cheek before he left, determined to not give up just yet. As he walked through the grasses, a pair of birds flew up, touching beaks gently before flying off and he sighed, feeling left out as he continued on his way.

_In a perfect world_  
_One we've never known _  
_We would never need to face the world alone_

As he continued on his search, it seemed everywhere he looked, a pair of animals were together, making him feel more inadequate without Bakura there. He climbed up a low hanging tree and looked up to the night sky, seeing the pattern of stars they saw.

_They can have the world _  
_We'll create our own _  
_I may not be brave or strong or smart_  
_ But somewhere in my secret heart_

I know Love will find a way Anywhere I go I'm home If you are there beside me He sighed, laying upon it, looking down and once again saw his reflection only be half clear and sighed. He heard some rustling in the brush and sat up, thinking it was Bakura but his hopes were dashed when it was only a frog hopping into the pond. He stood once more and walked off, thinking that it was it and that he would never find Bakura again, eventually wandering into the desert and sat on a sand dune, head lowered.

_Like dark turning into day _  
_Somehow we'll come through _  
_Now that I've found you _  
_Love will find a way_

Bakura wasn't far from where he was, surprised to see him there after what happened. He sighed silently and wondered to himself if he should turn back.

_I was so afraid _  
_Now I realize _  
_Love is never wrong _  
_And so it never dies_

He shook his head, realizing that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and started walking over towards Ryou. Ryou could feel another presence behind him and turned to see Bakura there and gasped, mood lightening and eyes shining bright, making him smile.

_There's a perfect world_  
_Shining in your eyes _  
_And if only they could feel it too _  
_The happiness I feel with you_

They walked up to one another and nuzzled each other, happy to finally be together once more and Ryou gave a tender lick, surprising the older demon. Ryou smiled before running off and Bakura wasn't far behind.

_They'd know _  
_Love will find a way _  
_Anywhere we go _  
_We're home_  
_ If we are there together_

They began to play as they ran, Ryou kicking up some sand to deter Bakura as they ran before coming to a stop. Remembering a lesson that Yami once taught him before, he moved a hand over a patch of sand, revealing a tiny sprout beneath. Ryou looked down to it before looking back to Bakura, smiling even more.

_Like dark turning into day _  
_Somehow we'll come through _  
_Now that I've found you_  
_ Love will find a way _

_I know love will find a way_

They nuzzled once more as the wind blew past them, unearthing green grass under their feet as they nuzzled tenderly, the world only revolving around them. Bakura looked up, seeing a pair of butterflies flutter by and smiled. Once they fluttered off, he gave chase with a laugh. Ryou watched him for a moment and seeing him have the fun he wasn't accustomed to once before made him laugh as he followed, eventually pouncing onto the other demon and they tumbled to rest beside a watering hole. Bakura licked Ryou's cheek and gave him another nuzzle before looking down into the pool of water. "Hey look at that." he whispered and Ryou looked down to the pool, seeing that his and Bakura's reflections made the whole that they both were missing. "We are one."

Ryou blinked as he listened to what his said before giving a light chuckle. Bakura hopped up and trotted off a bit. "Let's get out of here. We can leave here and start a pride of our own." he said. Now Ryou would be all up for the idea but knew that this isn't the way to go. "As much as I would want to...we have to go back." he murmured. "You're kidding. We just got back together and going back wil only have your father chasing me out again."

"I know but we have to go back to our pride. If we don't, they will be divided forever and won't make it easier on my father or on Vivian. We'll change things and make them right. I just got you back and this time, I won't let my father tell me what's wrong and what's right."

Bakura sighed softly but knew his newfound mate was right.

Of course, in the Outlands, Vivian had prepared her forces and they were now marching their way to the palace to take back what was rightfully there as she so claims.


	13. The End

The Demon King Saga

Chapter 13

0

Nothing deterred the demons of the outlands as they walked, even as they trekked through mud and thunder boomed overhead, their goal was clear and in their sights.

0

Back in the palace, Jou was pacing. "Jeez, this makes this what, the eight thousandth time we lost him!" he grumbled before looking to Kaiser. "I thought you were supposed to be watching him!" Kaiser blinked and growled. "_I_ was supposed to be? You were supposed to be watching him!"

"I thought you were gonna watch him!"

"No, you were gonna watch him!"

"You were gonna watch him!"

"Aah, watch this!" Kaiser yelled as he pounced on Jou and the two began to wrestle as they fought over who was supposed to be watching Ryou. Yami flew in, drenched from the rainfall that started not too long ago and shook off access water as he stepped over to the two fighting shapeshifters. "What are you guys doing?" he questiond and they quickly jumped away from each other, looking completely innocent. "That's a very inquisitive question! Now let me ask you one?"

"Hypothetically of course."

"Yeah, what he said. We have this guy we know..." Jou started. "Who's not a demon!" Kaiser quipped and Jou glared at him, amusing the other demon. "Yes who's _not_ a demon. And say his son...vanished?" Yami blinked before gasping. "Ryou ran off?" he questioned but before he could get an answer, Mahaado flew in. "My king, the Outsiders are on the move here! It's war!" he said in a breathless gasp. Yami growled before looking to him. "Go find Ryou. I'll assemble the warriors. Let's move." he said and Mahaado nodded as he took off into the rain once more while Yami headed for the other rooms to alert the warriors. Vivian and her demons crossed the plains, animals that were grazing out in the rain moving, knowing the challenge in the air and that war was upon the Pridelands.

Yami and the warriors emerged from the other side to meet with Vivian's pride, growling and snarling in anger. From afar, Ryou and Bakura hurried through the blinding rain in hopes to reach the two prides before they clashed on the battlefield. They two finally met, Vivian stepping onto a high rise rock to glance down at their opponent. Jou stepped forward and blew a raspberry at the enemy. "Nah nah nah nah nah nah!" he jeered and Vivian snorted. "I've waited for this day for much too long, Yami! It's over for you!" she hissed.

"I'll give you one last chance, Vivian. Go home." Yami said as he watched her. She grinned and shook her head, thunder roaring loudly overhead. "But...I am home! Attack!" she cried and her pride began to move forward. Yami snarled as he advanced with his own. They began to run across the field and soon clashed, the Outsiders doing everything they can to bring the other demons down. "Go for the eyes!" A demon swiped at a warrior's eyes, making her jump back. "Break his neck!" Another outsider swiped a claw into another's face with a snarl. "Hit them low! Do what you must to defeat them all!" Vivian screeched into the night. Ryou came to a stop at the ravine, shielding his eyes from the rain and saw the battle raging on the other side. He gasped and looked to Bakura who ran up from below and they were soon off in hopes to stop everything before casualties were made.

Jou and Kaiser looked at the fighting demons with worry before Kaiser turned to look to Jou. "What do we do?" he asked. "We do what we always do. 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'. That's our motto."

"But I thought our motto was Hakuna Matata."

"Pfft, that's old news now! You got to stop living in the past! Now charge!" he said as they ran for the Outsiders but one turned to them giving a fierce roar and they skidded to a stop with a yelp. "Like I said! Let's get going!" Jou yelped as they ran off in panic. Rebecca leapt up on a high rock, grinning down at Yugi. "Where's your pretty little son now, Yugi-kun?" she jeered and he hissed. "Rebecca." The other lunged down at him and rolled biting and clawing at one another. Jou and Kaiser continued to run, a few Outsiders following, until they hit a dead end and Jou cursed. Kaiser looked back, seeing the demons advanced and ducked his head down. "Too late to transform..." Jou whispered before looked to Kaiser and got an idea, grinning. Kaiser yelped as he was picked up.

"Nobody move! This thing's loaded! I'll let ya have it!"

That was enough to make the demons yelp in terror and run off. Kaiser grumbled softly while Jou grinned. "What? You're notorious for being like a skunk so let's put that to our advantage!"

"I hate you, bro."

Yami snarled in anger as he was overpowered by Outsiders and Vivian grinned at the opportunity. "You're mine, Yami." she hissed as she hopped down from her perch. Her movement towards Yami caused everyone to stop fighting and watch the outcome of their battle. The others leapt off Yami and when he moved to get up, Vivian was upon him, giving him a nasty swipe across the face. He growled as he moved to stand and the two paced around each other, waiting for the first attack. Vivian snarled, raising a claw and Yami wasn't far behind but before the bloody brawl could begin, a roar was heard as Ryou and Bakura landed before them, each looking at their respective parent.

"Ryou.." Yami whispered. Ryou watched him with a steady glance while Vivian growled. "Stand aside."

"Bakura...move."

"Father, this has to stop." Ryou whispered. Vivian gave a snort as she glared at Bakura. "You're so much more weaker than I thought. I expected more out of you." she hissed. "You won't hurt Ryou...or Yami. Not while I'm standing here." he snapped. "This isn't something for you to deal with, Ryou." Yami spoke. "A wise man once told me, we are one." Ryou whispered. "When I first heard it, I didn't understand...but now I do." Yami blinked at his words. "But...they..."

"Them...us...what makes them any different? Cause they were banished to the Outlands? They're still demons just like us and instead of having a war over land, we should unite them together." Yami was silent as the rain drew to a stop. He looked up, seeing sunlight shining through the parting clouds. "He is right, you know. We are foolish to have not seen this before." Aqua murmured. Yami looked back to Ryou before smiling as he stepped forward, nuzzling his son. Vivian sneered before looking to Rebecca. "Rebecca, now!" she hissed. She was conflicted at the truth in Ryou's words but no longer as she looked to Vivian.

"No." she whispered. "Ryou's right." She moved forward, towards the royal pride and stood beside Yami. "Enough's enough." Vivian growled, eyes narrowing. "Fine, if you won't fight...then you die as well." The other demons from Vivian's pride looked to her before snubbing her off as they began to walk to the other side. She saw this and reeled back in shock at her pride leaving her until she was alone. "It's over, Vivian. It's time to put the past where it belongs, behind us."

"I will never do such a thing!" she snarled as she crouched, ready to pounce. "This is for you, Pegasus!" She roared as she leapt for Yami only to be knocked away by Ryou and both tumbled over the cliff and down into the ravine, Ryou wincing as he landed painfully on a wing as they tumbled down. "Ryou!" Yami cried as he followed after them, Yugi and Bakura moving to the edge. Ryou found purchase on some rocks and breathed heavily as he tried to move a wing only for stinging pain to shoot up the limp joint. Vivian was further down, clinging helplessly. Yugi looked up when he heard the sound of the dam, logs shifting and grinding before eventually, the dam collapsed, letting the rush of water down the ravine in a huge torrent. "Yami, the river!" he cried and Yami looked back, seeing the rush of water and hissed as he flew to where Ryou was.

After finding better footing, Ryou turned, seeing Vivian was still hanging on and reached down for her. "Vivian! Grab my hand!" She snarled angrily and swiped at it, causing her to slide futher down the end of the barely there cliff. She hurried to grab on, looking down to the raging river below and then back to Ryou. "I'll help you...just grab my hand..." he whispered. A change came over her but the moment was too late as she lost her grip, crying out as she fell into the river below, soon dragged down by the strong current. Bakura winced, closing his eyes when she was carried off into the depths that would lead to her passing and looked up to Aqua when he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ryou." Yami whispered as he reached out to him. "Father...I tried." he whispered as he took his hand and was given a lift back onto stable ground. Yugi ran over to the two along with the others and smiled. "Ryou..." he whispered, nuzzling him. "That was very brave of you!" Kaiser said, grinning. Ryou smiled before looking to Bakura who stepped up beside him and gave him a fond nuzzle, Yami watching silently before stepping forward.

"Bakura...I was wrong about you. You do belong here." he said and the other smiled. Yami returned it before looking to everyone. "Now let's go home...together." He said as the other demons walked over and soon, they were back off towards the palace. Once there, they all gathered, Keara and Diamond smiled before blessing the new union between Ryou and Bakura. The two smiled and looked to each other before Ryou gave a tender nuzzle to his new mate, Yami smiling as well while Yugi rested against him. Kaiser smiled brightly as he looked to Jou. "I love moments like this."

"Yeah..." They both hugged each other. "Love...not like! Love!" They both said before bawling out in tears, Mahaado giving a huff as he covered himself with a wing when the tears flew. Yami and Yugi stood and walked forward, both royal and Outsiders bowing as they walked by, trailed by Ryou and Bakura as they made their way to the grand staircase that overlooked the Pridelands. Yami greeted the land with a loud roar and was soon joined by Bakura. Their mates smiled to them before they all began to roar, animals and demons cheering for them. The clouds parted, bringing in the sunlight and on the air, Yami could hear the voice of Atemu.

/Well done, my son./

He smiled and felt the gust breeze past him, knowing it was his father's encouraging touch and from behind, Keara smiled as she looked to Diamond. "In the end, everything worked out perfectly. And Atemu was right in his prophecy. Now what was once divided has now become one." she said and Diamond nodded in agreement.

/We are one./

The End

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Zypher: And that's the end of this story. For all those that stuck with me to the end, I thank you. See you later in another fic.


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